You might want to head on over to the CC Oceania board to check out this thread . Apparently, at least four cabins were cancelled on folks three days before their med cruise. Interesting reading. A wonderful public relations event.

Wow that is not good at all.

I have had one couple bumped from Regent on the PG. They called me and made a wonderful offer. If I remember it correctly it was a cruise nearly twice as long and an upgrade from the lowest category to a B penthouse. The person "jumped" on the offer with glee. They did ask me first if the passenger they were asking to be bumped had flexibility time wise first, if not would I suggest another booked passenger instead.

Actually it was a positive experience and it did come about 2 weeks before departure.

Truly an awful situation for those folks! I hope they get proper and just restitution for the total disruption of their travel plans.

If that happened to me, they'd have hell to pay!

Ngaire, could you please explain how this is legally permitted to happen? I find it appalling to be bumped so close to the embarkation date.

See latest update from Frank del Rio. Whole thing is a nightmare for sure!

It is a pity that the "incident" happened on the "O" but the response of the CEO in the CC web page is a lesson that perhaps more management people on other lines should make a note of.

I agree, the response by Frank is very respectable. If only more CEOs of companies took such a personal interest in their companies and were willing to do whatever it took to make things right for their customers.

Masaki

The bigger issue I see here is that it took a "hot thread" at CC to have FDR step in and offer what he offered.

What happens to those who just go away (and go away mad!?). I"ll wager FDR does not come to their rescue.

I hope those folks get the best suites on the ship, comp liquor at all times, free excursions and no tipping!!! What an ordeal!!

Now this is how I would expect a luxury line to handle a bump.

Marc, I didn't check over here before I started a similar thread in the cruising section. My bad, I apologize!!

But AL, how would he know what had happened if he did not read CC himself? One of the reasons why people post threads on the CC Oceania board is that they know that FDR reads and posts there. He himself stated that he had been out of town and had just gotten back in. We have to remember that that thread essentially evolved over the course of 24 hours. Not trying to make excuses for what happened because truly, it shouldn't have happened in the first place. But I think what a company (or person) does in a crisis does speak volumes about the character involved.

Masaki

I do agree, Masaki! Obviously, that situation should never have occurred, but mistakes do happen. It's very important how they are subsequently handled and amends are made!

whoops sorry...let me restate my observation... ;) had these folks not come to CC and asked for advice/help and that thread became a hot thread due to the nature of the predicament, they would have been stuck with not going on a cruise...FDR came to their aid because it was on CC, jancruz (Hi Jan) possibly moved things up the food chain because she became aware of it on CC and even CC leadership got involved. What would have happened if these folks not come to CC? How many more people were stuck in the same boat (pardon the pun) and were denied the cruise? These people got the raw end of the stick and they probably have gone away mad, now...if they just took what they were told "Sorry, SOL" and not escalated further, FDR obviously has not come to their aid. I'm just spectulating here, but I'm willing to bet there were a few more passengers who got bumped.

You are right , probably those other people were left sitting at home, looking at their cruise documents, with nowhere to go! But as more and more people get to be internet savvy, companies will learn that they can't pull stunts like this, since most times that not it will result in a public relations nightmare for the company!

I have to admit that this incident has left me pretty skeptical about booking with Oceania. It would just be my luck that they bump me and Mr. del Rio is out on vacation and can't "save" me, like he did with this people :D !

I think that situations, such as these, make it so very clear that people must be educated and take an active part in their travel plans, from start to finish. It amazes me how many people book something and then just leave it be, going on trust that their plans will come together. Book and it's a done deal. Wrong! Often times, complacency leads to devastating outcomes. The Oceania situation is a perfect example of how things can go awry within a few days of your departure date. Fortunately, they aired their predicament on CC and a resolution came about after much hullaballoo. But, for those people who do not participate in message boards and/or have stellar TAs, such as anyone on staff at B&K, they may not fare as well and be left "cruiseless."

The bottom line is, always take the initiative to oversee your travel plans, regardless of whether or not you have a trusted TA. Mistakes happen. Bumping happens. You just don't want to find yourself on the receiving end of NOT receiving what you've long been planning and anticipating.

Great advise Denise! I always call/email and reconfirm flights, hotels, restaurants 2 or 3 times before departure. I checked my air reservations this morning from Jax to Atl, change planes in Atl and on to Vancouver - flight number Jax to Atl does not exist any longer on Delta's website?? - I panicked and called Delta - we won't change planes in Atl (a blessing) just stop and continue on - but there is a time change so glad I checked!! Joanna

Frank reads that board..and posts on it all the time.
He resolved the problem..offered extremely nice compensation to those folks involved..plus their cabins for the cruise they were supposed to go on. The gal that started the post had actually booked another cruise within the 24 hours from start of her knowledge of the situation. Frank also offered to pay her for the booking on the other ship and that if the ship ultimately refunded she could keep that.
The end result as of today was she was refunded the money she gave to the second line. So win win for her in compensation I think
If you read the O board under the thread Mr.Del Rio what did you do to my family? on page 10 the editor of CC Carolyn has posted an editorial relating to this fiasco and resolution. Very interesting reading.

It seems that it was 4 people ( cabins) and they were 3 from same group and the one who started the thread. Both parties involved luckily were on CC.
I think that FDR's response to the whole matter was great. Took the blame for his company and did the right thing and said it should never have happened and will never again.
I am sure it won't. The internet is too big for that kind advertisement for his cruiseline. :p

Deleted

Olivia, please undelete.

I am still aghast at Oceania's actions. Yes, if the two different posters (there are actually four cabins involved) had not come to Cruise Critic and to the press (remember the press contacted the Cruisecritic Editor), this would never have been fixed.

For those of you that think FDR walks on water; remember he has to sleep and take vacations some time. The fact that the company employees believe "involuntary bumping" is OK instead of trying to look for volunteers means that training is poor. I, too, would not trust the company and would be very careful (e.g., checking booking online daily) if I were to book Oceania.

too true Claudia

POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!

Marc, I only deleted because I tried to take a certain part of Claudia's post, and ended up having WAY too much included, so deleted. That bores people.

My feeling on this is that those offended cruisers are lucky FDR reads the boards and responded. I have no idea whether there were others not compensated like some have said, but he sure did a PR coup on cc doing what he did for that big family group, and the pastor and his wife. I have no doubt Mark Conroy would have done the same if he read it, but we don't know that he "reads" us anymore! It is a VERY big step for an FDR to get on a board and admit a mistake. They are made everyday by employees. Glad this OP put out her story. It was a good ending.

I think one thing is for sure - Oceania management will be taking a very close eye as to how their employees are trained to deal with these situations in the future! :)

I also agree that inevitably, the fact that these cabins were made available again, means that somebody else must have been bumped. I only hope that in this case, it was a voluntary bump with a very generous compensation package set forth by Oceania. As others on CC have mentioned, there are people whose vacation schedule is much more flexible than others - I'm sure that they would be more than happy to take a generous compensation package to be bumped from this cruise.

As Denise has mentioned, it only reinforces that information is power and knowing the right people always help. Informed consumers that research and find ways of helping themselves (such as posting on a message board where the CEO of the line reads the posts) will have an advantage over those that don't. As said above, I hope an equitable solution has been reached for all those that are booked on this cruise.

Masaki

This was an unfortunate situation. My understanding is that they were overbooked, just as an airlines might be. Traditionally they ask for volunteers who would be willing to give up their space for extra compensation. I must admit I have taken a bump myself when time allowed. The intent was to ask for volunteers but it appears that the individuals making the calls did not offer this but made it appear they were being forced to give up their cruise. This is the first time this has occurred and they have assured me that this will not occur again. If anything they are extremely sensitive to have made a huge mistake which they cannot afford to have happen again.

Susan, I hope the word NOT is there by mistake....

Well, if they were NOT sensitive before they made this goof, then they'd better be in the future.

Marcie,
Sorry haste makes waste. I need to bone up on my Mavis Beacon typing skills. I meant they are very sensitive to this issue. Thanks for catching this error.

If you read any of the boards over on flyertalk, there are always people scheming on how best to get bumped and therefore get the extra compensation. Granted airline bumping and being booked on the next flight doesn't have the ramifications of rescheduling a cruise, but I would bet that now that some know about the potential for cruise bumping there will be some who look for the opportunity!

Well, the bottom line here is that we have reports on how "bumping was handled on O (start to finish) and how it was handled on RSSC (start to finish). So we can all make up our minds on which way WE would like to be treated, should a "bump" become necessary, and use this as one factor in line choice. I know I've made mine.

Thanks,
Richard

Deleted, because I missed Ngaire's post on RSSC bumping - her one experience that has ever happened. Must be a rare occurence.