Simply More or Simply Less?

[jonthomas]

posting site again...this one may open ...

 

https://www.cruisehive.com/new-charge-spotted-for-cookies-on-celebrity-cruises-ship/109334

[ORV]

2 minutes ago, jonthomas said:

posting site again...this one may open ...

 

https://www.cruisehive.com/new-charge-spotted-for-cookies-on-celebrity-cruises-ship/109334

Yeah, I don't think the mods are going to allow that. 

[babydrum]

38 minutes ago, jonthomas said:

posting site again...this one may open ...

 

https://www.cruisehive.com/new-charge-spotted-for-cookies-on-celebrity-cruises-ship/109334

I'm hoping that is a joke even though I was surprised at the number of upcharges in the MDR and even Specialty Dining on my HAL cruise a couple of months ago.  

[jonthomas]

not a joke....all cruise lines are looking for ways to increase revenue...some using more ridiculous methods than others...

 

C cookies are good though, Os arent. 

[Vineyard View]

We do not book without the intent on taking that trip. Sometimes life or circumstances get in the way and we need to change our plans.
We also use rewards points. Much more difficult than the past. We had banked miles from a cruise SFO to Europe that had to be cancelled due to Covid. We banked the miles and one year later tried, not quite a year later,  to book similar flights for this Spring cruise. It was 2.25x more miles to book similar BC flights. 
So now we also weight in on the cost of flights more so than we had to in the past. BC out of the West Coast is crazy to Europe….$5-$6k per, so it can impact our trip decisions. I think that allowing the fee to be transferred to a future cruise would be a smart idea. AZ would not let us do that last year. We had not sailed on them previously and it did, along with new ownership, impacts out interest in them. If O follows suite, it will become one of the things we keep in mind when looking. Not because we book with the thought in mind we have a high percentage of cancelling. 

[maadimom]

On 8/23/2023 at 8:10 AM, MarkWiltonM said:

It's kind of "here we go again" for us. We switched to Oceania from other cruise lines because they had "cruise-only" fares without alcohol, etc. Now we are switching again. We have cruises on Vista and Marina under the old fare regime that we will keep and then it's back to Crystal, Celebrity, and perhaps other cruise lines (Windstar, Silversea, Viking...) we haven't tried. If I have to book a luxury cruise line that includes alcohol, Oceania is not even remotely my first choice. And as it stands with Simply More, Oceania's fares are approaching the luxury lines but I don't believe the overall quality is on par with luxury lines. I just priced a B3 Caribbean cruise on Vista for 2025 and it was $408 per person per night, with alcohol we won't drink and a shore excursion credit we wouldn't use. We are in B3 on Vista this coming December for $285 pppn (cruise only but grats and insurance are included as TA perks). We are on Marina in 2024 for $220 pppn (B3) with grats and insurance included.    

We will be on the Marina for our first Oceania cruise next month.  Like you we are trying Oceania because of the cruise only fares.  So, this may be a one and done for us as we like independent tours and I don’t drink much.  I’m hoping they will change the policy back to where you have a choice, but for now we are looking elsewhere.  It’s a shame as we had chosen a cruise to book on board before this change.  We have now booked it on Silversea.  If I have to pay for all inclusive I want the luxury to go with it.  

[jonthomas]

You may like O so much that paying a bit more wont matter. We also dont drink and dont do tours. No tours because we have been to most places and love to just walk in ports with a map and get lost.

 

But we love O, more than all the other lines we have tried,  past and since covid, so because all is will be included now on O, we will try a wine dessert and will also chose a tour in a port we have not done before. We look forward to doing that,

 

But none of that will happen, until mid 2025, as we have 10 O cruises booked until then without the simply more. 

[Vineyard View]

I don’t think SS nor SB, or Regent, are in quite the same category. We’ve only sailed SB in that group, and realize that we will need to adjust our expectations somewhat, and at the same time we will love our experience if we do. I say this due to feedback from people who have sailed both, on both forums,  and it is taken by me as helpful advice. 

[Tr1v1alCru1ser]

Alcohol included at lunch and dinner is not of interest to us either, neither would some of the excursions.  Sailing around the Caribbean, we’ve been to the ports several times already, so wouldn’t bother doing excursions.  Don’t really want to pay for something that we wouldn’t use, preferred O Life where we could choose.  We’ve never booked airfare with Oceania, we’ve always booked our own.  We want the most direct route to any pick up port at a time that suits us. 

[cardygans]

They are very successful with this program on Regent and some of the higher end lines are doing this now.  The program started with Viking and i've a feeling it's here to stay. 

[cardygans]

As for the "HUMP" cabins on deck 7: yes they have a much larger unprotected balcony, but they are classified as "basic" staterooms (there are a few none balcony on this deck too)  and on Riviera be AWARE they've changed the decor, but didn't touch the bathrooms.  So you still have the odd bathtub and the Coffin Shower - not the full upgrade like the rest of the ship.  

[hubofhockey]

On 8/24/2023 at 12:56 PM, susiesan said:

Windstar.

Princess, Celebrity, NCL as the price of the inclusions is minimal.

I have an Azamara cruise booked for next year, the beverage package includes cocktails not limited to only with meals and the shore ex credit is minimal, only $300 or $150 pp. All of the shore ex credits on O with SM are at least $800, $400 per person. Also, Azamara's deposit policy is far more lenient than the new policy coming to Oceania Sept. 1. Only $75 pp is non refundable but it can be transferred to another AZ booking. O's new deposit policy will have you lose $150 a person if you cancel the cruise and it can't be transferred to another O cruise.

 

 

As of September 1

Once you put a deposit down $150 per person penalty..no credit no refund you lose this money

180 Days $500 a person no credit no refund you lose this money

You cannot move it to another cruise

It is not my intention to say that this change is at any means good or even more painful for some and not others.  However, if you look around, the grass isn’t any greener anywhere else.  Changes impact us all differently.  I booked my first Oceania cruise, so booked it eyes wide opened, knowing what is the new reality at Oceania and other cruise lines as well.

 

The difference with Azamara of the $150 may be the risk you take on with Azamara under its new private equity owner (Sycamore) who has proven it doesn’t know what it’s doing with all of the problems on the data transfer.  I forfeited my $150 to them because I refuse to go further down that “Journey” with them.  Loved my SE Asia cruise with them and might even cruise with them in the future, but not until they get their act together.  Celebrity is forcing alcohol and WIFI package on its Aqua passengers.  I use Aqua because Blu is a decent dining experience and their MDR is not.  Puts me in a rough spot.  

 

I won’t consider the other two lines (not a Princess fan or lower level cruise lines).  I like Celebrity and will swallow hard on the Aqua inclusions.  The one that bothers me most is WIFI because I know on the Japan itinerary that pocket WIFI works well and I’ll use that.  Got a great deal on that cruise, but will be hesitant in the future. It’s no secret that the Aqua cabins are the only ones open for my Japan cruise next May.   They also now make you forfeit your ENTIRE deposit if you cancel unless you pay so much more for the refundable deposit.  The strategy with them has to be to only use future cruise certificates.  Easier to lose $200 than $900.  In any case, I will still book X, but only if I can find a great deal with an online TA getting some sort of group discount that negates the charge for the BS inclusive.  

[Vineyard View]

20 hours ago, cardygans said:

As for the "HUMP" cabins on deck 7: yes they have a much larger unprotected balcony, but they are classified as "basic" staterooms (there are a few none balcony on this deck too)  and on Riviera be AWARE they've changed the decor, but didn't touch the bathrooms.  So you still have the odd bathtub and the Coffin Shower - not the full upgrade like the rest of the ship.  

Interesting. Why would that be I wonder?  We booked a cabin with extended balcony on Marina for the first post dry dock itinerary, with the understanding that the ship will have been upgraded. 

[QuestionEverything]

On 8/26/2023 at 3:40 PM, Tr1v1alCru1ser said:

Alcohol included at lunch and dinner is not of interest to us either, neither would some of the excursions.  Sailing around the Caribbean, we’ve been to the ports several times already, so wouldn’t bother doing excursions.  Don’t really want to pay for something that we wouldn’t use, preferred O Life where we could choose.  We’ve never booked airfare with Oceania, we’ve always booked our own.  We want the most direct route to any pick up port at a time that suits us. 

We agree 100%.

Think about it, a port intensive cruise, many guests out for the day or over lunch,  how does the forced payment for alcohol at lunch benefit the customer?

If on the ship, would order beverages at lunch, put them in the fridge then bring them to Horizons at happy hour, which is the only time we have alcohol.

That would be a somewhat compromise.

For us, the more inclusive, the less business we provide.

O'life was perfect.

 

 

[LHT28]

55 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

Interesting. Why would that be I wonder?  We booked a cabin with extended balcony on Marina for the first post dry dock itinerary, with the understanding that the ship will have been upgraded. 

There were some cabins on Riviera  where they left the tubs   as several people wanted tubs    so they compromised  & left some

 There was a thread with the cabins  with/without tubs

the Marina may follow the same plan

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2874113-riveria-bathtub-updates/#comment-63775016

 

[Vineyard View]

3 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

There were some cabins on Riviera  where they left the tubs   as several people wanted tubs    so they compromised  & left some

 There was a thread with the cabins  with/without tubs

the Marina may follow the same plan

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2874113-riveria-bathtub-updates/#comment-63775016

 

Thank you.  I appreciate this link. I remember reading this and just reviewed it again. What is confusing to me is the comment about the extended balcony B3 staterooms not being upgraded in the bathrooms. This letter from O states all B3 were. 

[LHT28]

3 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

Thank you.  I appreciate this link. I remember reading this and just reviewed it again. What is confusing to me is the comment about the extended balcony B3 staterooms not being upgraded in the bathrooms. This letter from O states all B3 were. 

I have no personal knowledge  of which cabins where the bathrooms  were redone

I am sure  the poster must have inspected all the  B 3 cabins  to make sure   their comment was correct 😈

 

Marina may have a different  plan  I have no insider info 🤔

[LHT28]

21 hours ago, cardygans said:

As for the "HUMP" cabins on deck 7: yes they have a much larger unprotected balcony, but they are classified as "basic" staterooms (there are a few none balcony on this deck too)  and on Riviera be AWARE they've changed the decor, but didn't touch the bathrooms.  So you still have the odd bathtub and the Coffin Shower - not the full upgrade like the rest of the ship.  

What cabin # were you in?

[Jockocruiser]

On 9/5/2023 at 10:35 AM, Vineyard View said:

Interesting. Why would that be I wonder?  We booked a cabin with extended balcony on Marina for the first post dry dock itinerary, with the understanding that the ship will have been upgraded. 

VV:  When is the scheduled Dry Dock for the Marina?

[Vineyard View]

First cruise post is 5/18, which we are scheduled on 

[Jockocruiser]

On 9/6/2023 at 8:28 PM, Vineyard View said:

First cruise post is 5/18, which we are scheduled on 

Hmmm, we’re considering the TransA April 2024

Wonder if Marina will look “rode hard and put up wet” right before that?

[Vineyard View]

1 hour ago, Jockocruiser said:

Hmmm, we’re considering the TransA April 2024

Wonder if Marina will look “rode hard and put up wet” right before that?

No idea but current cruisers may be able to answer questions around this. 

[zipher36]

I tried searching the forums but couldn't find an answer and hoping someone can chime in.

If I opt for the Simply More package which includes "Free Champagne, Wine and More valued at up to US$2,800 per stateroom", do I need to pay additional gratuities on the included drink package?  Or should I just be expected to pay the $18-23 (depending on the cabin) pp pd plus whatever additional gratuities I want to give over and above?  Thanks!

[basor]

11 minutes ago, zipher36 said:

I tried searching the forums but couldn't find an answer and hoping someone can chime in.

If I opt for the Simply More package which includes "Free Champagne, Wine and More valued at up to US$2,800 per stateroom", do I need to pay additional gratuities on the included drink package?  Or should I just be expected to pay the $18-23 (depending on the cabin) pp pd plus whatever additional gratuities I want to give over and above?  Thanks!

The drink package includes gratuities on the drinks....the $18 - 23 gratuities pp is for the cabin stewards, waiters, and the behind the scenes employees.   Two different things,..  if you order a drink that is not part of the package then you will be automatically charged a gratuity which will be reflected on the bar bill you sign.

[zipher36]

23 minutes ago, basor said:

The drink package includes gratuities on the drinks....the $18 - 23 gratuities pp is for the cabin stewards, waiters, and the behind the scenes employees.   Two different things,..  if you order a drink that is not part of the package then you will be automatically charged a gratuity which will be reflected on the bar bill you sign.

Thanks so much for the quick reply!  I know that some cruise lines (I know of NCL) will offer these "free" drink packages but they're not actually free because you have to pay additional 18-20% gratuities on the package value which can easily add an additional $15-20 pp pd in drink gratuities regardless of whether I drink anything or not!