Apparently, yesterday Oceania announced some significant price reductions for their 2009-10 Winter Collection Oceania Winter Collection Promotion
and some 2009 European cruises Oceania Europe Promotion .

This means that the comparison I posted yesterday may need further adjustment, because my reading is that the promotion reduces the fare by $1000 per person. It is interesting to me that the new Oceania cruise fare with the promotion for the 2010 S. American itinerary is still higher than the price we had for our now canceled 2009 Oceania cruise. But I think the per diem for a PH3 on Oceania is now about $100 per person per day lower than an H on the Regent cruise, not making any adjustment for tips on Oceania or the costs of drinks.

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Eugene

Wow, these are great deals, hard to resist!

We're thinking about the November 15 Insignia Mediterranean sailing. The price is right and the timing is great. We are VERY tempted!

Andrea & Leonard

If fare on a PH3 is the same as an H, then with tips and on board charges, R is more reasonable adding drinks, wine and tips back...

I really like the 9/24 Insignia Venice to Barcelona, 14 days. It stops at La Spezia, which puts you very close to Cinque Terre which I love! Unfortunately, dates don't work.

I don't know Kathy. Here's a quick and dirty comparison:

11 nights, Med., Navigator, F Suite, $7795 +$310, free air, Sept.28

12 nights, Nautica, PH2 $5994, Sept.9, +$312 +air taxes

The Oceania air taxes are an unknown commodity to me, but let's say it's another $300. (There's also the shipboard credits and prepaid gratuities.) That leaves roughly $8100 Navigator versus $6600 Nautica. That's a lot of drinks. And if you can settle for an A2, then big savings, more like $4200 or so.

(If I'm reading all this right.)

Oceania has a very good online reservation system. It allows you to price/ book cruises and shows specific cabins available by category.

I just priced the Insignia 7/26 Venice- Barcelona 14 days cruise. If you decline air for this itinerary they'll give you a credit of $1,000. In addition, the Air taxes that you don't pay are $524. IMO, an economy ticket EWR-VCE, BCN-EWR for $1,524 is high, especially since you are at Oceania's mercy for routing.

An A3 concierge level balcony cabin with no air is $3,999 + 364 Govn't taxes. Not a bad price.

I didn't price the PH suites as these are not participating on the sale for the summer 2009 cruises.

Wendy,

The price for the Nautica 9/9 PH3 of $5,994 does not include air.

Okay, I see. They've taken away the "free" air to do this, weird. So you'd have to get them to quote on the air, and they can charge whatever they like. Hmm. Makes it tough to compare.

Although...the mail from B&K says "free air".

That's a pretty gooddeal then. Our average bar bill is about $100 a day on Oceania with a bottle of premium wine but we're not big drinkers on their port intensive itins.

I'd want to see an actual quote on this before I started to celebrate. But if we weren't booked on Rio-FLL, I would be doing just that, for this fall.

We have the luxury of being able to travel fall 2009/spring 2010, since David's on sabbatical (assuming we have cash, of course). In fact, if they did the same deal for spring 2010, I'd think of cancelling Rio and doing a cheap and cheerful 7-day Caribbean on Regent instead, and doing an Oceania trip in May 2010.

We're thinking Caribbean again but haven't settled on anything for 2010. We have a couple small things planned for this year and we have Australia/NZ in our sights and a high season trip to Paris as well.

One can choose to include Oceania's air package and then there are additional air taxes and fees. If you prefer to secure your own air you are given an air credit and do not pay the air taxes and fees. The prices displayed on their website are cruise only and do not include taxes and fees but their taxes and fees are in many cases less than Regent's port fees. For example I just looked at a 10 day where the taxes and fees were $260. However, the additional air taxes and fees were $504. Their pricing is just laid out in a different manner than Regent's. In my opinion there are some excellent deals particularly on the Winter Collection which are the late 2009 early 2010 cruises.

I'm confused, Susan, I thought that the prices displayed on Oceania's Web site for one of the Winter Collection cruises I was investigating for a colleague at work did, in fact, include free air and also reflected the promotional discount of $1000 (forgetting about the taxes and fees associated with the cruise itself or the air). Are you saying that this is incorrect? That the fare shown for the Sydney-Auckland cruise on January 7, 2010, is a cruise-only fare so I have to add air, and the fees, port charges, and taxes for the cruise and the air?

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Eugene

I'm so used to seeing Oceania prices including air (but not the taxes). I presume they'll be different for each cruise, so it's a bit tough to do the math without a quote.

Eugene,
I haven't meant to confuse you. I do agree with Wendy that it is wise to get pricing and evaluate.

Andrea and Len,
We're in as well. Who are you booking through and did they give you any additional offers--pp grats, etc?

I'd like to find a group of 6-8 to rent a private transport in Florence. We've done it the past 2 years and for the same price as the "big bus" that cannot enter the city. Also, we can arrange for a great wine tasting lunch in town with a vinter we know.

Wendy,
How funny to see another Paul Gauguin addict!! I am actually quoted on page 14 of their 2009 brochure. You run a close second, but I've been aboard 5 times and #6 is in August. We are soooooo luck! Did you hear that Sabine got married and is off the ship?

Sorry, don't know Sabine. It was, in a way, our 5th, since one was a back to back, but mostly 7-day itineraries, so only 42 days total. When are you going?

Sabine was the blonde maitre'd. She was originally from the Diamond, so you may have known her from there as I did. We said the PG again August 20. Can't wait for Motu Day!

Lucky you! No, I don't think I ever knew Sabine.

Looks like their anniversary sale is working as some of the European dates are already sold out and the Anniversary sale will end the 31st of this month.

I'd like to see all the 2010 itineraries. Are they out yet? Judy DeConinck