Booking the next cruise whilst onboard. Main advantages (if any) please

[Harters]

We are looking to do a cruise in 2025 and are considering booking it whilst onboard our cruise this spring. I've read the following thread, which was helpful, but it predates Simply More. Is anyone able to summarise the current advantages, over booking later direct with O or using a TA, please?  The previous benefit of using a TA was in sorting out air travel and peripheral arrangements but, as this will be a UK round trip those matters don't apply. TIA.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2943140-booking-a-future-cruise-while-onboard/

 

[Cruisedreamer1]

Just be careful when booking since the final payment dates have changed (shorten time). If you elect to take the sbc while on board and then cancel the cruise you will be billed for that amount. My husband hates to commit so we are always wrangling around about booking.

[mauibabes]

You read the “party line” Oceania OBBooking statement but what I find very helpful is being able to sit down and chat with the Ambassador, get their perspective on the cruise, what room location to select, stateroom category, and what your proper expectations should be and then add the cost benefits. Sometimes they may even have some extra dollars included in their OB promotion. They do have sales goals to meet 😇 so Miami could be adding extra for the sailing.  Remember, 30 days prior to sailing you can also book and get the On Board Booking Discount and amenities. Sometimes the Representatives have not been able to make the booking system work with the discounts so we just visit with the Ambassador to ensure we have everything properly in place. 
 

Yes, there is that new pesky $150 Cancellation Fee but at least the OBB does allow for one free swap to a different cruise w/o a penalty. I personally like having a Future Cruise Certificate available that I can use if the Cancellation Fee is a concern.

Just Enjoy yourselves.

Mauibabes

[AMHuntFerry]

Here is the wording from my Future Cruise Certificate (FCC). I think everything (perks, conditions) is pretty much the same as if we had booked a cruise onboard, except for the OBC which was higher ($250?). Note that the deposit paid with a FCC is fully refundable until expiration, while a booked cruise has the new $150 penalty; at least that was the case when I was choosing FCC vs. booking in September (the $150 penalty had just started being applicable a few days earlier). Sorry for the annoying cut-paste formatting! FCC:

 

You’ll receive our best available offer at the time of your voyage selection. The earlier you book, the better choices
you will have for accomodations and amenities, and the lower the price will be. Once you select your cruise the
applicable savings noted below will be applied to your reservation.
ONBOARD SAVINGS BY CATEGORY
Savings shown are per stateroom
SAILING LENGTH OS - OC PH A - B C - E
7-9 days $500 $300 $250 $200
10-19 days $800 $600 $400 $300
20-35 days $1,500 $1,000 $800 $500
Terms & Conditions: Certificate is redeemable for up to one year from date of purchase towards deposit of
future voyage. Selected voyage may commence outside of one year. Certificate cancellations are fully refundable
up until expiration. If US$100 Shipboard Credit was given at the time this Certificate was purchased, this amount
will be withheld from the refund. After expiration date, the full value of the Certificate will be forfeited. If you need
to cancel after a voyage is selected, the standard booking terms and conditions will apply. Onboard Booking
Savings varies based on sailing date and stateroom/suite category selected, and is combinable with current
savings offers at time of voyage selection. Onboard Savings is applicable to Ocean View and higher categories.
Please note that not all promotions are combinable with Onboard Savings. Guests are encouraged to select their
preferred future sailing as early as possible to secure preferred pricing and stateroom availability.
Oceania/Vista/Owner’s Suites, Grand Voyages, combination (multiple segment) cruises, and guests from
Germany/Austria/Switzerland/Lichtenstein may require additional deposit, which will be due at the time your
voyage is selected. Certificate is exclusively available for purchase by onboard guests only and is
non-transferable. One Certificate maximum may be applied to a reservation. Once applied to a voyage, guests
may utilize their one-time change-of-sailing prior to the cancellation penalty period of the voyage selected.
Program is applicable to new bookings only and is not applicable to reservations booked prior to Future Cruise
Deposit certificate purchase. Oceania Cruises reserves the right to correct errors or omissions and to change any
and all fares, fees, promotions and surcharges at any time. Ships' Registry: Marshall Islands.

[Harters]

On 1/6/2024 at 4:53 PM, mauibabes said:

Sometimes they may even have some extra dollars included in their OB promotion.

Thanks everyone. We'll go armed with knowledge of what the cost might be through a cruise specialist TA here and see what the onboard offer might be. 

[Vallesan]

2 hours ago, Harters said:

Thanks everyone. We'll go armed with knowledge of what the cost might be through a cruise specialist TA here and see what the onboard offer might be. 

Do that because once you’re onboard the only prices you will see either be in the brochures in dollars, or online in Euros when in Europe. So it’s better to know the prices in £s before you go otherwise you'll have no real comparison.

Edited January 8 by Vallesan

[NewSalty]

15 hours ago, Vallesan said:

Do that because once you’re onboard the only prices you will see either be in the brochures in dollars, or online in Euros when in Europe. So it’s better to know the prices in £s before you go otherwise you'll have no real comparison.

One neat little trick is to use a VPN that allows you to pick US-based servers, and then the website will show you prices in $.

[Harters]

Just to round this off, we did book that 2025 cruise on board. All priced in sterling. There was an "on board" discount and some onboard credit. We could apply that credit to either the existing or new cruise. We chose existing as it would go some way to paying gratuities which, for the new cruise, are now included in the headline cruise price for customers in my part of the world. 

 

We left the ship happy with the deal but, also, in the knowledge that we could pass this booking on to a travel agent - either our existing one or another. The last couple of days have one of negotiation with three companies - our existing one, one that I know Vallesan uses, and a third who we liked the look of. In the event, we've gone with the offer from our existing one which, taken in the round, suited us best. Everything taken together, we've managed about a 12% discount on the Oceania website "promotional fare", so happy with that. 

 

 

[osandomir]

I don’t completely understand what is the reason to discuss all negotiations, discounts and rebates here. It’s nice to have some savings while booking with a TA, but I see it as more of a business between us and our TA and not as a public announcement.

[Yesimapirate]

1 hour ago, osandomir said:

I don’t completely understand what is the reason to discuss all negotiations, discounts and rebates here. It’s nice to have some savings while booking with a TA, but I see it as more of a business between us and our TA and not as a public announcement.

Isn't the point of this site to share and learn so you can have the best cruise possible?  Many would say paying less for the exact same cruise would enhance their experience and would like to hear the tips and tricks others use.

 

As with anything on the internet,  it's always possible to scroll by and not read or engage with something you don't like.

[Harters]

3 hours ago, osandomir said:

don’t completely understand w

Let me try and explain my reason for you......

 

....... Nah, on reflection, I can't be arsed. 

Edited April 16 by Harters

[Vallesan]

17 minutes ago, Harters said:

Let me try and explain my reason for you......

 

....... Nah, on reflection, I can't be arsed. 

BTW any chance of your agent in ‘code’ ?

[osandomir]

38 minutes ago, Harters said:

Let me try and explain my reason for you......

 

....... Nah, on reflection, I can't be arsed. 

I didn’t ask you to explain it to me. Thank you anyway.

Edited April 16 by osandomir

[richyking]

Well I for one appreciate any and all the knowledge placed on this site. I have never been on a cruise and will be on my first one next month. I didn't even know you could get perks with booking via a TA I didn't know you could choose your own cabin position. I was looking at the Oceania web site next thing I got a phone call from a personal consultant and ended up booking the cruise. I was given the cabin B3 no idea if its in a good or bad position. As a result of joining this forum I will do things differently next time (if their is one all depends how it goes!) but reading about FCC, booking on board etc is all so very helpful and its somewhere I can go to get advice/help so well done all and thanks. I am in UK.

[Harters]

20 minutes ago, osandomir said:

I didn’t ask you to explain it to me

I'm sure yours was an entirely casual remark without the slightest hint of snide intended. 😀

Edited April 16 by Harters

[Harters]

V - as you know, whilst we cannot mention UK travel agents on the forum, Cruise Critic itself has no qualms about providing a list

 

https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/articles/best-cruise-travel-agents

 

I'm sure if you start looking through that list, you'll see a company with a web address very similar if shorter to the one I've just given. Go fourth and you'll be almost there.

Edited April 16 by Harters

[Hlitner]

7 hours ago, osandomir said:

I don’t completely understand what is the reason to discuss all negotiations, discounts and rebates here. It’s nice to have some savings while booking with a TA, but I see it as more of a business between us and our TA and not as a public announcement.

I think you are missing an important part of CC, which does include talking about deals and value.  For those not interested it is just a simple matter of ignoring the posts and moving on.

 

Hank

[Vallesan]

12 hours ago, Harters said:

V - as you know, whilst we cannot mention UK travel agents on the forum, Cruise Critic itself has no qualms about providing a list

 

https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/articles/best-cruise-travel-agents

 

I'm sure if you start looking through that list, you'll see a company with a web address very similar if shorter to the one I've just given. Go fourth and you'll be almost there.

Thank you!

[Harters]

You're welcome, V. Hope it helps you to "cruise" better. 

[Aloha 1]

On 4/16/2024 at 12:46 PM, Harters said:

V - as you know, whilst we cannot mention UK travel agents on the forum, Cruise Critic itself has no qualms about providing a list

 

https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/articles/best-cruise-travel-agents

 

I'm sure if you start looking through that list, you'll see a company with a web address very similar if shorter to the one I've just given. Go fourth and you'll be almost there.

Well done! Did you have a career with MI 5?

[Harters]

2 minutes ago, Aloha 1 said:

Did you have a career with MI 5

Oh, I so wish. In my dreams I see myself as some sort of "spook".  Sounds much more glamourous than being part of the admin team at a local probation office. I do have an e-pal who did work for the spooks though before he retired - at GCHQ at Cheltenham. 

[Acrusa]

On 1/6/2024 at 11:40 AM, Cruisedreamer1 said:

Just be careful when booking since the final payment dates have changed (shorten time). If you elect to take the sbc while on board and then cancel the cruise you will be billed for that amount. My husband hates to commit so we are always wrangling around about booking.

You can no. longer elect anything since the new SM has been in effect 

We booked our 2025 cruise while on board the Vista this winter and received a $200.00 reduction each for booking on board  The price of our cruise went up $400.00 PP good thing we booked on board . So we saved $600.00 pp

Edited April 19 by Acrusa

[alcpa1]

I know what the fine print says but we were able to book another sailing for friends who were not onboard with the same perks we got. Perhaps it was due to their O status. I was surprised, to say the least.

[ORV]

9 hours ago, alcpa1 said:

I know what the fine print says but we were able to book another sailing for friends who were not onboard with the same perks we got. Perhaps it was due to their O status. I was surprised, to say the least.

I’m pretty sure this has always been an option. 

[CptBoatface]

On 4/19/2024 at 10:17 AM, Harters said:

Oh, I so wish. In my dreams I see myself as some sort of "spook".  Sounds much more glamourous than being part of the admin team at a local probation office. I do have an e-pal who did work for the spooks though before he retired - at GCHQ at Cheltenham. 

US MI were odd ducks when I was in charge of a company for a while