It started with our paying the deposit with our Discover Card. When the travel agent went to pay the balance, Oceania informed them they no longer take Discover Card. Since this cruise is over $12,000, the cash back from Discover makes a BIG difference, but Oceania refused to honor the card.
We then paid with mastercard. Due to fraud protection on our card, we have to authorize large purchases before they are made, then the company has 24 hours to make the charge. It took Oceania three attempts to get it right (involving about 10-12 phone calls between us, our travel agent and Oceania and over about 6 days). .
Next, we go to the web site to book excursions. Oceania site has us locked out and it took 2 days and 3 phone calls to correc this. That's okay, when we finally get on the web site to make the excursion selections, half of them are not available. 2 more phone calls and 2 weeks wait.
I then request to know when each of the tours start (we are on vacation, we don't want to go snorkeling at 7:00 am). . I'm told we can't be told that until we board the ship! Pretty hard to make excursion selections when you don't know the times they start.
But we aren't done. Yesterday, 41 days before sailing, we get material that tells us we have to have a special visa for Brazil and certain innoculations. We can pay Oceania $199 per visa but all the paperwork has to be processed more than 30 days prior to sail date. Shouldn't we have a little more than 10 days notice.
Not done yet. As I read their little brochure, for the first time I am informed about the "no smoking policy" that INCLUDES your own room and veranda! HUH? I paid for a penthouse suite and I can't smoke in it? My travel agent and I have discussed smoking previously because last vacation he booked us into a non-smoking hotel. I reminded him that we are smokers.
Sorry, my luxury vacation has been totally ruined. Too many things have already caused us so much time and frustration I simply can't imagine that things won't continue to go down hill.
Call Oceania about these problems? They aren't one bit interested. They've been next to no help from day one. They won't listen to reason and refuse to have a supervisor call me. Of course there are never any supervisiors available when I call. I strongly advise against Oceania Cruises and I've yet to take a cruise with them!
