Flatbush Flyer

I don’t know much about solo policies. That said, I do know: The basic O Life tours number you see advertised for a specific cruise is “per cabin” based on double occupancy (and they must be split evenly). The specific YWYW minimum tour number cited for a specific cruise is “per person.” So a cruise with the O Life SBC option set at $800 (per cabin) could be done instead as 8 excursions (per cabin) split evenly to 4 tours per person. If the YWYW minimum on that cruise is published as “6,” that is “per person.” So in this case, each person in the cabin would need to add 2 paid tours to their 4 O Life tours to get the YWYW 25% discount on the non-O Life ones purchased pre-cruise. One can then add more YWYW discounted tours once onboard.

Oceania. Wonderful libraries and numerous other quiet spaces on both the 670 and 1200 passenger ships. The two 1200 passenger ships even have a covered/secluded outdoor area called the Sanctuary.

The YWYW minimum requirement number is per person.

Read the fine print. There are some few cruises where the discount may be limited beyond just the itinerary/cabin. Also, you can get book onboard rates within 30 days pre-embark.

If you search here on CC, you’ll find several of my extensive tutorials on O Life - particularly the strategies for combining the tours option with YWYW. But, here’s the short list items per your questions. Read the T&Cs and Ticket Contract for specs on cancel deadlines. You can change which O Life perk you initially choose but it’s set in stone at some point prior to your cruise. As regards the tours perk, choices must be made at least two weeks prior. There’s no changes allowed after that though, if O cancels the tour, you have a choice: $100 SBC refund to your account (though, while you may have a $199 value tour cancelled, all allowable tours have a base value of $100- just like the SBC perk). On page 1 of the ShoreEx PDF, the minimum number of tours required for YWYW 25% off is stated. Your O Life tours count toward that minimum. And you must then add enough prepaid tours (in your initial tours selection precruise) to secure the discount for the entire cruise (yes, you can add more YWYW discounted paid tours once onboard). Also, all cancel deadlines will be printed on your individual tour tix. But, you must always have the minimum requirement covered to not lose the discount on everything purchased. O Life tours are assigned $0 cost in the perk with the most expensive (<$200) auto assigned to the perk. Do not use the website to buy tours. Do your own spreadsheet first and then call O directly (preferably an agent with whom you have established some relationship) and have him/her verify that you’re on the same page about the charges. Book the tours with the agent once you’ve verified that s/he will send you the “prepurchased shore ex” PDF, which shows you all the associated math - absolutely essential doc if you then have O cancelled tours/replaced once onboard. Your TA can also get the total math doc for you and even do the booking work. But, YWYW confuses a lot of folks - including most TAs. O onboard accounting of your purchases has changed. You can get printouts of your account but the former complete details of each purchase now requires a supervisor to print them (at least right now on Marina). So, that’s the basics. Again, many of my previous “tutorials” have even more detail.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLzBDhilDL0

Hardly “elitist.” After all, many of those folks started on a mass market line.

If you want a giant hotel in the middle of a floating amusement park, premium/luxury lines are not for you. Whatever the case, you’ll actually find far more interesting/better food (both quality of ingredients and preparation) on the premium/luxury lines. You’ll also find better crew ratios, cabin/sleep amenities. And then there’s what you won’t find: “nickel diming,” never ending announcements, phony art shows, bothersome photographers, thousands of passengers, prom nights……. FWIW, if you look at the “net daily rate” for a premium/luxury cruise on smaller ships (I.e., all your required and optionally preferred items which may all be covered in their fare), you may find that these cruise ship have “far greater bang for your buck.”

We’re on Marina too. Foot Reflexology 50 minute massage will go from $149 to $199.

Incomplete info. There are many variables at play: What disembarkation port? (There are some ports where carrying luggage on and off a steep gangway is ill-advised.) What time is SCHEDULED for arrival? (You may arrive at a significantly later time.) What are the Operational policies, practices and hours of the disembarkation port authorities? Which cruise line/ship? (Some have specific time slots for which you sign up [with or without luggage in hand])

Best tip? Way too short a layover anywhere.

Of course, personal taste should be a major consideration in choosing a dining venue. But, the value of considering the opinions of well-respected food critics/publications and organizations lies in the breadth and depth of their experience, expertise and recommendations when you’re investigating dining opportunities in an unfamiliar location or from among an extensive list of possibilities beyond your capacity to try them all.

Again, your (and my) opinion pale in comparison to professional critiques. Show me one food magazine or respected food critic who sings the praises of a cruise line like HAL. Also, look at the CLIA data on what the lines you mention spend per passenger for food.

Fodors hasn’t got a clue. Look at how CLIA classifies cruise lines that comprise its membership.

What you think means zip to me. Perhaps you should look at reviews by the pros including writers for Saveur and Bon Appetit. Note as well that respected F&B authorities like Jacques Pepin, the Dom Perignon group qqet al. have aligned themselves with Oceania. Even Wine Spectator points both its wine and food endorsements toward O.

How ever would you consider any of these a “premium” line?

And it’s gluten free!

Several days prior to disembarkation, you’ll get a questionnaire regarding your preferences/intentions for departure.

OOPS! Fat finger. I thought I typed “I” in front of “visited.” Perhaps I just should’ve used a “-“ Of course, anyone with a basic understanding of geography would know that Masada is an excursion from a cruise ship as is Ephesus and Delphi (and Rome and Paris and a zillion other places that cruise lines questionably advertise to catch your eye. “Piraeus? Let’s just call it Athens.”). And, of course, some lines other than O do multi-segments which is why I suggested a TA and a “short list.” But, only a few do them with the option of multiple booking configurations that maximize perks for specific categories of repeat customers. That particular Oceania idiosyncrasy can save the savvy “regular” far more than “chump change.”

Actually applies directly to the question. The term O Life “choice” can be both which option or what within each option (e.g., the specific tours that qualified for the tours option or clarification of what is included in the basic booze package). M&Dcruisers said s/he looked at the “invoice.” Perhaps it’s a TA invoice and not the O invoice which would clearly state (in the Amenities Section) which O Life basic option (SBC, tours, booze) was selected. But, if s/he wants to know which tours they’ve selected were O Life “options” (and which others are paid) the excursions PDF I mentioned is where they need to look. AND, most importantly, with others reading these threads, certainly some of them will appreciate and benefit from knowing where specifically they can find the greater detail about the O life tour “choice” and “choiceS.”

Sure it may look “cheaper.” But, then on HAL (or even Viking) ships, you’re stuck with their food.😳 If all that matters to you is $, do a true “net daily rate” comparison - door to door - of all required and optionally preferred amenities (and don’t forget airfare or an air credit which lines like Oceania offers). That comparison may surprise you particularly if you then add the qualitative components of food, service and ambiance. Do your homework and you’ll most likely v find Oceania on your short list.

OP: find a highly regarded cruise specialist TA who will interview you regarding your travel experiences, preferences and expectations and recommend a short list of cruise lines/ships as well as itineraries that are within your means. We prefer Oceania, which fits our travel profile perfectly. The small ships (<700 or <1200 passengers with excellent crew and space ratios), “finest cuisine at sea” and flexible menu of included amenities supporting a wide range of multi-segment itineraries that crisscross the globe with numerous unusual stops come together at a value laden price. We’re currently on O’s Marina having combined four segments (total 47 days) that will move us across BCN-ATH-FCO-BCN-MIA. In a word- STELLAR.

Take the time to find a highly regarded cruise specialist TA who will interview you about your travel experiences, preferences and expectations and recommend a short list of cruise lines/ships that can deliver a great itinerary along with a stellar onboard experience. FWIW: we’re currently on a 47 day multi-segment Oceania cruise (BCN-ATH-FCO-BCN-MIA) visited Ephesus last week - as well as Masada and Delphi. And I expect we’ll visit many of the ports you’re thinking about. Except for the ocean crossing near the end, this is a very port-intensive trip. You may read here on CC that the ship doesn’t matter with port intensive itineraries. That’s NOT true. The ship is your home away from home and the quality of food, service and sleep experience matters tremendously. Add the capacity for multi-segment itinerary building and flexible amenities inclusiveness with value laden pricing and you’ll quickly understand why your TA will have Oceania on your short list.

Some O policies (like FCC deadlines) can have exceptions on a case-by-case basis. However, this 1.5 hr max “layover” tours rule is fairly “hard and fast” because there are multiple reasons why the earlier tour on the same day might be significantly “delayed.” Sure, there’s the possibility of a traffic snarl that has you returning from your earlier tour past your due time. But, more often than many might think, the delayed arrival of the ship in port will result in the delay of the start of the earlier tour. This just happened to us a few days ago in Istanbul where the ship occupying our assigned berth left late and our daytime tour was rescheduled to an hour later start. Fortunately, our evening tour was flexible enough to be purposefully delayed as well.

If you do the O Life tours selection over the phone with an O rep (or have your TA do it for you), you can request the “pre-purchased shore excursions” PDF that shows you all the math of O Life tours, YWYW discounted tours and the application of O provided SBC toward the balance due. This PDF is essential should an issue arise once onboard involving cancellation credits, substitute O Life selections, etc. And, once onboard, equally useful is the “screen print” of your excursions accounting which can be provided by Destination Services.