Effect of Simply More on Sales & Sale Prices: Will be critical to us

[LHT28]

1 minute ago, AMHuntFerry said:

 That said, there is mail coming from O today regarding "special OClub" something or other, so maybe that will have sale info.

Or maybe taking away more O club benefits 😲

[ArtistsWife]

We are newbies to Oceania and booked our trip for Oct 23 back in May. We went ahead with excitement and booked excursions for all but 1 port. We opted for the free 6 that was offered still pricey but wanted no worries as this is a special cruise for us. Prices now reflect same price but all cats are waitlisted. The 6 excursions we received would roughly equate to $800 in SM. However, the beverage perk would be nice, a glass of wine with dinner. I contacted my agent with O and awaiting word, though he seemed pessimistic. It would undoubtedly leave sour grapes over a trivial matter if nothing is done. My question to anyone who may have an inkling is, how are they going to decipher this on the ship? Lesser brands stamp your card for drink package, etc. It seems tacky to card you at the request of a glass of wine at dinner each time. Seems this is exactly what O is trying to avoid in order to compete with Viking and other premium lines. Will this just seamlessly be included while onboard for all? A house wine offered at seating perhaps?

[AMHuntFerry]

3 minutes ago, AMHuntFerry said:

I just checked my TAs website and found one cruise that may be included in a current silent sale (i.e., not on O's website). It is the Sirena TA in Nov. 2023. Lowest price on O site is $3099, on my TA's site is $1699. I have no info about the limitations associated with the sale fare; I'd need to get that from my TA and I don't want to waste her time. So, if you have a TA and want to find out about the sale, you may have to contact them to find out (and they may not have access to the sale). That said, there is mail coming from O today regarding "special OClub" something or other, so maybe that will have sale info.

Just checked CruiseCritic's search and they have it for $2299

[ak1004]

2 minutes ago, AMHuntFerry said:

I just checked my TAs website and found one cruise that may be included in a current silent sale (i.e., not on O's website). It is the Sirena TA in Nov. 2023. Lowest price on O site is $3099, on my TA's site is $1699. I have no info about the limitations associated with the sale fare; I'd need to get that from my TA and I don't want to waste her time. So, if you have a TA and want to find out about the sale, you may have to contact them to find out (and they may not have access to the sale). That said, there is mail coming from O today regarding "special OClub" something or other, so maybe that will have sale info.

 

Wow, this is significant! I assume both prices are for cruise only, no air? 

[LHT28]

3 minutes ago, ArtistsWife said:

. It seems tacky to card you at the request of a glass of wine at dinner each time. Seems this is exactly what O is trying to avoid in order to compete with Viking and other premium lines. Will this just seamlessly be included while onboard for all? A house wine offered at seating perhaps?

Until all the pre booked cruises with O life  perk  are done or they make everyone switch to SM  they will be asking  for your room card

[basor]

1 minute ago, ak1004 said:

 

Wow, this is significant! I assume both prices are for cruise only, no air? 

If it a new booking after 01JUL (which assume it is since today is after) then it is SM,  so SM amenities but could be without air...

[ak1004]

1 minute ago, basor said:

If it a new booking after 01JUL (which assume it is since today is after) then it is SM,  so SM amenities but could be without air...

 

Yes, cruise only now assumes SM, have to get used to it..

[basor]

4 minutes ago, ArtistsWife said:

We are newbies to Oceania and booked our trip for Oct 23 back in May. We went ahead with excitement and booked excursions for all but 1 port. We opted for the free 6 that was offered still pricey but wanted no worries as this is a special cruise for us. Prices now reflect same price but all cats are waitlisted. The 6 excursions we received would roughly equate to $800 in SM. However, the beverage perk would be nice, a glass of wine with dinner. I contacted my agent with O and awaiting word, though he seemed pessimistic. It would undoubtedly leave sour grapes over a trivial matter if nothing is done. My question to anyone who may have an inkling is, how are they going to decipher this on the ship? Lesser brands stamp your card for drink package, etc. It seems tacky to card you at the request of a glass of wine at dinner each time. Seems this is exactly what O is trying to avoid in order to compete with Viking and other premium lines. Will this just seamlessly be included while onboard for all? A house wine offered at seating perhaps?

This will be no different than before when some people on board were cruise only (no beverage package), some with House Select beverage package and some with Prestige beverage package.  You give them your room card (which does have a 2 letter code on it for which beverage package you have) and they take care of it.  Also, the SM beverage package is not a selection of 1 red, 1 white house wine but a list of many wines served by the glass and you choose which ever you want,  Much different than Viking,

You have the option of staying with your current booking under OLife or switching to SM and having those amenities by paying any fare difference between what you paid and what the current pricing is with SM.

[susiesan]

4 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Until all the pre booked cruises with O life  perk  are done or they make everyone switch to SM  they will be asking  for your room card

I don't get the big deal about showing your card to pay for an alcoholic drink with a meal.

 

If you want to have a glass of wine with your meal but don't want to show your card for some reason, get your glass of wine in a bar on the way to dinner and carry it in to the dining room. 

[LHT28]

1 minute ago, susiesan said:

I don't get the big deal about showing your card to pay for an alcoholic drink with a meal.

 

If you want to have a glass of wine with your meal but don't want to show your card for some reason, get your glass of wine in a bar on the way to dinner and carry it in to the dining room. 

Well  I do not have a problem putting my card on the table at the end of the meal  but it appears others do

[basor]

Just now, LHT28 said:

Well  I do not have a problem putting my card on the table at the end of the meal  but it appears others do

Agree - we have not been to any restaurant that did not require us to hand them our card (or cash) at the end of a meal ....not sure why cruising would be different,

[FetaCheese]

55 minutes ago, cruiserchuck said:

So the sales are continuing even with SM.  I have received emails from two TAs today that mention a Summer Sale with up to 40% savings.

The new SM brochure received last week:  printed on the address page (back) said to call in for 40% off select sailings.

[EJL2023]

1 minute ago, LHT28 said:

Well  I do not have a problem putting my card on the table at the end of the meal  but it appears others do

Actually I just place it on the table when I sit down. Waiter immediately knows what im wanting and will get the wine list and wine steward on notice. It doesn’t even break the flow!! Someone else had mentioned that as reason for disliking showing a card.  I really have no idea what they were referring to….

[ArtistsWife]

3 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Until all the pre booked cruises with O life  perk  are done or they make everyone switch to SM  they will be asking  for your room card

They need to honor this new program at the price now listed for our pre-booked cruise for late Oct. Rep said he could not cancel and rebook bc all cats waitlisted. We did everything right, book early, paid upfront for excursions.  Waiting to hear from rep but hope O does not disappoint us before we can set sail.

 

[LHT28]

2 minutes ago, ArtistsWife said:

They need to honor this new program at the price now listed for our pre-booked cruise for late Oct. Rep said he could not cancel and rebook bc all cats waitlisted. We did everything right, book early, paid upfront for excursions.  Waiting to hear from rep but hope O does not disappoint us before we can set sail.

 

So if they give your SM  my comment on showing your card still stands

Not everyone will switch to SM  

Good luck

[FetaCheese]

19 minutes ago, AMHuntFerry said:

I just checked my TAs website and found one cruise that may be included in a current silent sale (i.e., not on O's website). It is the Sirena TA in Nov. 2023. Lowest price on O site is $3099, on my TA's site is $1699. I have no info about the limitations associated with the sale fare; I'd need to get that from my TA and I don't want to waste her time. So, if you have a TA and want to find out about the sale, you may have to contact them to find out (and they may not have access to the sale). That said, there is mail coming from O today regarding "special OClub" something or other, so maybe that will have sale info.

This cruise was in the ESS sale brochures, which expired 6/30/2023.  I had booked it in April, but later cxl'd, in favor of booking another voyage in the same sale brochure.  

 

Checked it again yesterday on O site, higher price than sale -- ship is wide, wide open.  Perhaps reason for it to be back on sale?

[ArtistsWife]

8 minutes ago, basor said:

...You have the option of staying with your current booking under OLife or switching to SM and having those amenities by paying any fare difference between what you paid and what the current pricing is with SM.

The price online reflects no change in our b1 Verandah cat. But rep said he couldn't cancel and rebook bc all cats are now waitlisted. He was to check and call back, waiting.... 

[basor]

13 minutes ago, FetaCheese said:

The new SM brochure received last week:  printed on the address page (back) said to call in for 40% off select sailings.

There is a "silent sale" on selected sailings called the Summer Sale,.,..on O website G category $3099.00 , summer sale price $2299.00 ( 26% discount)  This is SM with no air pricing.  A TA selling for $1699.00 is a really big discount - almost 60% off.

[ArtistsWife]

18 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

So if they give your SM  my comment on showing your card still stands

Not everyone will switch to SM  

Good luck

it's not showing the card..although that will go away for all but those on a premium drink package since all after July 1 will be SM...The question is, will they honor SM at price now listed although all cats are waitlisted. The price listed is the same.

[basor]

6 minutes ago, ArtistsWife said:

it's not showing the card..although that will go away for all but those on a premium drink package since all after July 1 will be SM...The question is, will they honor SM at price now listed although all cats are waitlisted. The price listed is the same.

In the past if your cabin was waitlisted, then you could not change to a new promo.  At this time you are booked under the OLife promo and want to switch to the SM promo (I know semantics because SM is the new OLife).  One caveat is if you booked onboard and have the best price guarantee,  Since your category is waitlisted, based on past rules you would not.  This is all new as of 3 days ago so no one has any past decisions to give you insight on how your case will be handled.  You can report back on the results of your TA talking to O.  Good luck....

[AMHuntFerry]

28 minutes ago, basor said:

There is a "silent sale" on selected sailings called the Summer Sale,.,..on O website G category $3099.00 , summer sale price $2299.00 ( 26% discount)  This is SM with no air pricing.  A TA selling for $1699.00 is a really big discount - almost 60% off.

Oops!! I just realized it was Marina 13-day, not Sirena 15-day. I'm goiing to blame not having any food or caffeine yet for my goof. Will go check actual savings.

 

OK, the actual cruise is the MARINA 13 day TA. Listed for $2599 on O's site, and $1699 on Cruise Critic and my TA's sites.

Sorry for the mix-up...really need a fact checker today (eating and drinking as I type).

Edited July 5, 2023 by AMHuntFerry

[ArtistsWife]

11 minutes ago, basor said:

In the past if your cabin was waitlisted, then you could not change to a new promo.  At this time you are booked under the OLife promo and want to switch to the SM promo (I know semantics because SM is the new OLife).  One caveat is if you booked onboard and have the best price guarantee,  Since your category is waitlisted, based on past rules you would not.  This is all new as of 3 days ago so no one has any past decisions to give you insight on how your case will be handled.  You can report back on the results of your TA talking to O.  Good luck....

Many, many thanks. When we booked we were guaranteed the cat. Since SM came out all cats are waitlisted. Will see how this proceeds. We will look for an independent TA for future bookings. We simply want the same deal that people now booking are privy to. 

[AMHuntFerry]

5 minutes ago, ArtistsWife said:

Many, many thanks. When we booked we were guaranteed the cat. Since SM came out all cats are waitlisted. Will see how this proceeds. We will look for an independent TA for future bookings. We simply want the same deal that people now booking are privy to. 

If the O rep comes back with a "no", ask to speak to a supervisor; they may still say "no" but it can't hurt to ask someone higher up (O reps don't always get things right).

[basor]

1 minute ago, ArtistsWife said:

Many, many thanks. When we booked we were guaranteed the cat. Since SM came out all cats are waitlisted. Will see how this proceeds. We will look for an independent TA for future bookings. We simply want the same deal that people now booking are privy to. 

It is hard to see a deal come up and have already booked at a higher price point - often happens with air fares and the fine print of "only available for new bookings".  Be sure and purchase a Future Cruise Credit or book a cruise while onboard as those bookings come with a "best price guarantee" so can take advantage of price drops or better amenities.

One thing to make you feel better is if your sailing is not available due to everything waitlisted (which is different than a guarantee) no one will be getting that deal and paying the lower price.  No cabins to book....

[AMHuntFerry]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

Or maybe taking away more O club benefits 😲

Good news! It was my $200 off coupon since we didn't book on our June cruise. We also got our blue book which is way earlier than all of our previous cruises...so fun! (hijack over)