Oceania: cancelling, arguing, disappointments and disgust

[mybagsarepacked]

There are numerous posts on the decision to quit Oceania, along with numerous others who are disappointed and upset. I was told today that my Future Cruise Deposits were not refundable, even though the cruises I am referring to are more than a year away and we are way ahead of any cancellation fees and forfeits. We are taking the cruise that begins this Saturday, though we really don't want to go. 90% of the people on our Roll Call say it is their final cruise with Oceania as well. 

 

I told our TA that we will forfeit our deposits on the future cruises if Oceania won't refund them, even though I think it is unprofessional and is just another reason to make me believe we made the right decision to stop traveling on Oceania. I would rather lose our deposit than bend to their extortion and take the cruises in the next two years. I have never seen a company lose my love and loyalty so fast as they have, and I know so many others on my upcoming cruise that feel the same way. After doing some digging and research, I am not even sure what they are doing is legal. We are over a year away and all of the contracts say 100% refund at this point but they are "keeping" the deposits we put down, according to our TA.

 

All in all, thoroughly disgusted with this company. There are plenty of other fish in the sea, and we love several other lines where we have had great experiences. Sad to know we are losing all our loyalty status with Oceania, but it turns out loyalty is a one-way street with them away. 

[FetaCheese]

My understanding of "Future Cruise Deposit Certificate" purchased onboard:

 

It is fully refundable within 1 year, if not applied to a booking.

 

Once the deposit is applied to a booking, one is subject to cancellation penalties.

 

CXL penalties have changed,  -- not sure of date -- for recently for booked cruises.  All bookings CXL'd will incur a non-refundable penalty.

 

Again, this is what a TA has told me.

 

Please explain your circumstance in full, so I and others can understand what and why your deposit it not refundable.

Edited November 15, 2023 by FetaCheese
Addl info

[mybagsarepacked]

4 minutes ago, FetaCheese said:

My understanding of "Future Cruise Deposit Certificate" purchased onboard:

 

It is fully refundable within 1 year, if not applied to a booking.

 

Once the deposit is applied to a booking, one is subject to cancellation penalties.

 

Again, this is what a TA has told me.

 

Yep, you are right, that is what O says. So that is zero incentive to book any cruise while on board, because they just get to keep it? But if you book while NOT on board, it is refundable? Unbelievable policy. And once again, just because they say it is their "policy" - it does not make it right. Much less, ethical.

[Yesimapirate]

1 hour ago, mybagsarepacked said:

There are numerous posts on the decision to quit Oceania, along with numerous others who are disappointed and upset. I was told today that my Future Cruise Deposits were not refundable, even though the cruises I am referring to are more than a year away and we are way ahead of any cancellation fees and forfeits. We are taking the cruise that begins this Saturday, though we really don't want to go. 90% of the people on our Roll Call say it is their final cruise with Oceania as well. 

 

I told our TA that we will forfeit our deposits on the future cruises if Oceania won't refund them, even though I think it is unprofessional and is just another reason to make me believe we made the right decision to stop traveling on Oceania. I would rather lose our deposit than bend to their extortion and take the cruises in the next two years. I have never seen a company lose my love and loyalty so fast as they have, and I know so many others on my upcoming cruise that feel the same way. After doing some digging and research, I am not even sure what they are doing is legal. We are over a year away and all of the contracts say 100% refund at this point but they are "keeping" the deposits we put down, according to our TA.

 

All in all, thoroughly disgusted with this company. There are plenty of other fish in the sea, and we love several other lines where we have had great experiences. Sad to know we are losing all our loyalty status with Oceania, but it turns out loyalty is a one-way street with them away. 

Yes, loyalty is a one way program with EVERY travel program.   It's simply marketing.  Far too many people think it's about them being loyal to you.  It's is and always will be a one way street and while some travel companies are more lenient,  it is no different anywhere else.

[LHT28]

They changed the  policy  several months ago  but I think it depends on WHEN  you booked  if you will get  the full deposit  back

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

 

There is  a thread  discussing  the change

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2958035-new-cancellation-policy/

 

If you booked in Europe you may have other options 

 

[ak1004]

Our FCC was about to expire mid September, we asked to extend it, they refused, so we cancelled and got a full refund. I'm not sure if this situation is different from what is described in the original post. If FCC was already applied, then I assume standard penalties apply, but you are also eligible to one change, which effectively means that you can cancel without penalty as long as you book another cruise (and all benefits apply to the new cruise).

[ak1004]

24 minutes ago, Yesimapirate said:

Yes, loyalty is a one way program with EVERY travel program.   It's simply marketing.  Far too many people think it's about them being loyal to you.  It's is and always will be a one way street and while some travel companies are more lenient,  it is no different anywhere else.

 

This is true for all cruise lines. This is why we never book a cruise based on loyalty. Whoever provides the best combination of itinerary, price and ship experience gets our business. 12 different lines so far. Zero loyalty to any line.

[cruisingxpert]

When you got the FCC did you get OBC on the cruise you were on at that time?  Last year, O was offering $300 obc on your current cruise or the cruise you were booking for..  If that happened , there might be no refund  because of the $300 being applied to that cruise.

[ak1004]

4 minutes ago, cruisingxpert said:

When you got the FCC did you get OBC on the cruise you were on at that time?  Last year, O was offering $300 obc on your current cruise or the cruise you were booking for..  If that happened , there might be no refund  because of the $300 being applied to that cruise.

They still should refund the difference because the deposit is $250 per person or $500 total. Happened to us a while ago, they refunded the deposit less OBC that we used.

[mybagsarepacked]

45 minutes ago, Yesimapirate said:

Yes, loyalty is a one way program with EVERY travel program.   It's simply marketing.  Far too many people think it's about them being loyal to you.  It's is and always will be a one way street and while some travel companies are more lenient,  it is no different anywhere else.

Actually, we were booked on a Celebrity Cruise and they had to change the embarkation port at the last minute. It threw a lot of people for a loop because they did it three days before our departure and we were originally scheduled to leave from Sydney. Like many people we had planned to go in early and Celebrity gave people the option of cancelling outright for a full refund including airfare and early hotels, they also gave an additional cruise credit on top of the one we cancelled.  They were amazing to all of us. They did not have to do anything and they bent over backwards to ensure we were all happy. We rebooked two cruises with them and had a fabulous time. 

 

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 is Customer Service at its finest.

 

 

[mybagsarepacked]

20 minutes ago, cruisingxpert said:

When you got the FCC did you get OBC on the cruise you were on at that time?  Last year, O was offering $300 obc on your current cruise or the cruise you were booking for..  If that happened , there might be no refund  because of the $300 being applied to that cruise.

No we didn’t get any OBC at the time of our booking.

[mybagsarepacked]

30 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

Our FCC was about to expire mid September, we asked to extend it, they refused, so we cancelled and got a full refund. I'm not sure if this situation is different from what is described in the original post. If FCC was already applied, then I assume standard penalties apply, but you are also eligible to one change, which effectively means that you can cancel without penalty as long as you book another cruise (and all benefits apply to the new cruise).

Interesting. I will run this by my TA, though I am not inclined to do anything further with them.

[ak1004]

7 minutes ago, mybagsarepacked said:

Interesting. I will run this by my TA, though I am not inclined to do anything further with them.

 

In any case, if your actual booking was before Sep.1, you should get 100% of the deposit back for Nov.2024 cruise. If it was after Sep.1, it's $150 penalty, not the whole deposit. Check your reservation, it should be clearly mentioned there.

Edited November 15, 2023 by ak1004

[Vallesan]

3 hours ago, mybagsarepacked said:

There are numerous posts on the decision to quit Oceania, along with numerous others who are disappointed and upset. I was told today that my Future Cruise Deposits were not refundable, even though the cruises I am referring to are more than a year away and we are way ahead of any cancellation fees and forfeits. We are taking the cruise that begins this Saturday, though we really don't want to go. 90% of the people on our Roll Call say it is their final cruise with Oceania as well. 

 

I told our TA that we will forfeit our deposits on the future cruises if Oceania won't refund them, even though I think it is unprofessional and is just another reason to make me believe we made the right decision to stop traveling on Oceania. I would rather lose our deposit than bend to their extortion and take the cruises in the next two years. I have never seen a company lose my love and loyalty so fast as they have, and I know so many others on my upcoming cruise that feel the same way. After doing some digging and research, I am not even sure what they are doing is legal. We are over a year away and all of the contracts say 100% refund at this point but they are "keeping" the deposits we put down, according to our TA.

 

All in all, thoroughly disgusted with this company. There are plenty of other fish in the sea, and we love several other lines where we have had great experiences. Sad to know we are losing all our loyalty status with Oceania, but it turns out loyalty is a one-way street with them away. 

You make your choice and you pay your money! 
Lots of people may be upset with Oceania at the moment and vow never to sail with them again but in fact …. there are plenty more fish in the sea (sorry)!… and there will always be new passengers willing/wanting to sail with them!

[Vineyard View]

2 hours ago, Yesimapirate said:

Yes, loyalty is a one way program with EVERY travel program.   It's simply marketing.  Far too many people think it's about them being loyal to you.  It's is and always will be a one way street and while some travel companies are more lenient,  it is no different anywhere else.

If you book a FCC on board with SB it is valid for 2 years. If you do not use it it’s fully refundable. You can also cancel it before the 2 years and get a full refund. 

[cruisemom42]

34 minutes ago, Vallesan said:

… and there will always be new passengers willing/wanting to sail with them!

 

Up to a point. Some new passengers may be willing to book despite reputation. Others may do their research and decide it is better to go with other options. 

 

As frequently discussed/debated here, Oceania is not the only cruise line in its niche. There are lines out there in the same cost bracket (especially for those who like the higher level accommodations).

 

I would also footnote that if TA's are upset with Oceania, it could certainly impact their recommendations (for those passengers who DON'T do their research).

 

Edited November 15, 2023 by cruisemom42

[JanDom]

I don’t think Oceania have to think about new passengers even if some passengers right now do not want to sail with them any more. First of all we will see in two years how many of these people really did not book a new cruise and there will be people who are not satisfied with other cruise lines and will change to Oceania.

 

As I see you prefer celebrity and their behavior.

We for example won’t travel with celebrity again if we do lot have too. Everybody has other experiences… 

[mybagsarepacked]

1 hour ago, Vallesan said:

You make your choice and you pay your money! 
Lots of people may be upset with Oceania at the moment and vow never to sail with them again but in fact …. there are plenty more fish in the sea (sorry)!… and there will always be new passengers willing/wanting to sail with them!

Exactly what I told my husband! I am sure they won’t miss us at all, their ships will fill up, but I will be happier knowing I don’t support their business model. ☺️

[Vallesan]

41 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Up to a point. Some new passengers may be willing to book despite reputation. Others may do their research and decide it is better to go with other options. 

 

As frequently discussed/debated here, Oceania is not the only cruise line in its niche. There are lines out there in the same cost bracket (especially for those who like the higher level accommodations).

 

I would also footnote that if TA's are upset with Oceania, it could certainly impact their recommendations (for those passengers who DON'T do their research).

 

I think a lot depends on your WHY? 
We like small ships mainly for their size as they are far easier to navigate, no lines, not x thousand people all trying to disembark at a port. etc.etc. Large ships may have theYatch Club or Haven etc. but at the end of the day they are still huge ships with many thousands of passengers. From what I hear you are only ‘special’ when you are in your own little bubble, unlike smaller ships where everyone is ‘special’ all the time.

We, for instance, would only book a small ship so our choices are limited and Oceania has given us the best value, in the past. I’m not so sure now. Sometimes Seabourn is more competitive. 

[Vallesan]

3 minutes ago, mybagsarepacked said:

Exactly what I told my husband! I am sure they won’t miss us at all, their ships will fill up, but I will be happier knowing I don’t support their business model. ☺️

Your perogative!

[cruisemom42]

13 minutes ago, Vallesan said:

I think a lot depends on your WHY? 
We like small ships mainly for their size as they are far easier to navigate, no lines, not x thousand people all trying to disembark at a port. etc.etc. Large ships may have theYatch Club or Haven etc. but at the end of the day they are still huge ships with many thousands of passengers. From what I hear you are only ‘special’ when you are in your own little bubble, unlike smaller ships where everyone is ‘special’ all the time.

We, for instance, would only book a small ship so our choices are limited and Oceania has given us the best value, in the past. I’m not so sure now. Sometimes Seabourn is more competitive. 

 

My two biggest priorities for cruises are small ship and itinerary. For those who don't necessarily sail in premium categories, Azamara is also an attractive option and is probably my go-to right now.

[ak1004]

12 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

My two biggest priorities for cruises are small ship and itinerary. For those who don't necessarily sail in premium categories, Azamara is also an attractive option and is probably my go-to right now.

 

Same for us - but Azamara cabins and showers are below our comfort zone, and they cost about the same as cabins on Riviera/Marin/Vista. 

[ak1004]

54 minutes ago, JanDom said:

I don’t think Oceania have to think about new passengers even if some passengers right now do not want to sail with them any more. First of all we will see in two years how many of these people really did not book a new cruise and there will be people who are not satisfied with other cruise lines and will change to Oceania.

 

As I see you prefer celebrity and their behavior.

We for example won’t travel with celebrity again if we do lot have too. Everybody has other experiences… 

 

I don't care about the line business model. I care about the value that I GET. After sailing on 12 different lines, we won't go back to Celebrity or other big ship. Sailing on small ships provides a completely different experience, and I won't compromise it just to punish a cruise line.

[Vallesan]

13 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

My two biggest priorities for cruises are small ship and itinerary. For those who don't necessarily sail in premium categories, Azamara is also an attractive option and is probably my go-to right now.

Yes I have looked at Azamara in the past. On the R class ships we like the PH for the size of the bathroom especially. I found the equivalent on Azamara was more expensive. We have sailed on the Regatta, the Nautica a few times and the Sirena several times. I would only choose the Sirena now if we wanted a small ship because it has Red Ginger. I must admit we were on the Riviera last year for the first time in quite a few years and I think I’m leaning more towards the larger ships now. We don’t need a PH on the larger ships and I like the extra restaurants.

But I do think the Riviera is the largest ship I would consider.

[cruisemom42]

10 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

 

Same for us - but Azamara cabins and showers are below our comfort zone, and they cost about the same as cabins on Riviera/Marin/Vista. 

 

For solo cruisers, Azamara offers far more cruises at a solo supplement of 150% or even 125%. That makes a big difference for me. 

 

I've yet to price out an Azamara cruise I was interested in that was more expensive than a similar O cruise. Perhaps related to the itineraries I like. YMMV.  However, if O's itinerary is superior, I would have considered it prior to this latest kerfuffle.