Flatbush Flyer

You may want to reread your own posts where you make unsubstantiated statements about “most people” and then clearly say those with Covid concerns may want to “look elsewhere.” What part do you not understand about those people who mask and test being the better protectors (overall) of public health in a cruising environment? The real clincher about the dangerousness of your position is summed up in your statement about your apparent support for those who “want to continue with their plans if they don’t feel sick even when they may be tested positive.” I think you’d find that many here (regardless of their pro/con tests/masks) would find that attitude to be beyond selfish.

They’re not “my” reasons. They are common sense backed with science. And, you have no idea what the breakdown is for test and mask preference on Oceania. What is clear is that O has already on several occasions lightened Covid requirements only to reintroduce them when the onboard cases increase. Also, let’s not forget that the strictest restrictions still apply for crew who find themselves constantly bombarded by the uncaring folks you mentioned who are science deniers and, worse, without any concern for the health of the crew that serve them. As for who should stay home? It certainly is people who we often find saying “we’re willing to take the risk.” What an uncaring and selfish attitude- it basically translates to “i don’t mind if I get Covid AND I could care less if I infect someone else.” Step back and see the bigger/less selfish picture. If you can’t do the proven things that limit/slow transmission, YOU really should look at recreational opportunities other than cruising.

All irrelevant to the simple fact that, if cruise line pre-tests or pier tests stop even one infected person from boarding, the possibility of that transmission once onboard has been eliminated. $118 is chump change when it comes to protecting the public health.

a newbie could misunderstand and think that cruise air credit is a standard amount across multiple cruises (so they could erroneously think that which cruise doesn’t matter). My comment was meant more fir them than for you. That said, the mock booking leaves no room for error.

O insurance prices are “per person” -not per cruise. NOT a good deal.

As long as you’re using your cruise’s info, that works. Easiest way: Mock booking. Find your cruise on the O website Select the O Life fare for you preferred cabin. Next page: Check “NO” for “need airfare?” Next page: Subtract the new fare from the original O Life fare (which is “with” air). Difference in price per person from the first page is the air credit per person for O Life w/o air.

If there were only many more who did the same as you (and me).

Unclear on the concept of protecting public health?

I seem to remember that NCLH was going to dump embarkation testing in certain countries/regions starting this month (though still requiring proof of approved/required vaccination). If true, this is nothing less than STUPID for all of the obvious public health reasons. And it would be a safe bet that, just like at the beginning of 2022, decisions to “lighten up” on ship’s Covid restrictions/testing requirements will eventually be reversed. We’ll join Marina in October and will, of course, get, at least, Antigen tests within 72 hrs of embark (also being pre-flight SFO-FRA-BCN). BTW: Isn’t it interesting that, at least, O still requires all crew to be masked but not passengers? The marketing ploy suggests that it protects the passengers when, in fact, what it does is to protect the crew. IMO, it is so discourteous for passengers not to return the gesture by also wearing masks to improve the protection of all onboard.

I do know that Ultimate is more often offered outside of North America. However, I also assume that there may be a significant (higher) fare difference as well.

Are you in the US? There’s no Ultimate Sale on right now that I can find on the US Oceania website.

And the nature of the policy may be that you must insure the trip door to door for its total cost. One of the problems with buying from a TA (or a cruise line) is that the person you’ll initially ask about the questions is most likely not a licensed insurance agent. We use insuremytrip.com.

It was a time limited offer for a selection of cruises that was available to book until around the end of this past May.

Food really important? Oceania.

If you pick the right cruise line, there’s no need to jump from ship to ship to find long/interesting multi-segment itineraries with little port repetition. There are several premium/luxury lines that offer published “long hauls” ranging from 3 weeks to 3 months (or more). One line that specializes in filling this niche is Oceania. Check out their “extended journeys” (e.g., 1-2 months +\-) and “grand voyages” (3 months +/-).

The “consequences” never left. If you read the continuing saga of the FAQs, you’ll realize that they’re full of contradictions from one version to another - even to the point of self-contradiction. The safe bet has always been to have proof of “negative” before you got to the embarkation port so that there’s never be a question of O’s cost coverage or “positive” to get you a 100% refund despite the full penalty period. As I’v said many times here: Sadly, stuff that goes out under Carlos Ortega’s name often appears to have been “cut and paste”‘with no proof reading.

The full FAQs statement about the effect of passengers not doing the pre test recommendation appeared in conjunction with the required pier testing at O’s expense (back at the beginning of the O cruising restart in autumn 2021). It said that if you didn’t have that negative test proof and you then tested positive at the pier, you would be SOL for cost of quarantine in the embark city and for air cost to get home (beyond what your own insurance would pay) That was still the deal when we started back in January 2022 - pier test required. Pre-test recommended but, in essence, it was really your choosing whether or not you wanted that possible O coverage for positive pier results.. BTW: there was a ton of threads discussing this here around that time because of changing Covid restrictions.

This has long been the case in the SailSafe FAQs. The “recommended” pre-test prior to any required embarkation test is actually required if you want to protect your investment. Testing negative pre-cruise gets your Covid related costs covered if you test positive at embarkation. Testing positive pre-cruise qualifies you for a full refund at a time when cancelling would’ve carried a 100% fare penalty.

Looks like your on one or two segments of our Marina trip this autumn. We join in BCN on October 18 and finish at MIA on December 4. My earlier “double dip prohibition” comment about Ultimate was also true for the original booking. Actually four segments, the “best” published pricing was as two “extended journeys” (BCN-FCO and FCO-MIA). But, we couldn’t combine them as a “custom cruise” for an additional 5% off and double Platinum perks. Oddly enough, the bottom line $ calculations on lower price vs lower O Club perks for our entire journey (in every theoretical way to book) turned out to be pretty much a wash. I do seem to remember, however, that I did come up a bit short in cruise credits. And as aforementioned, rebooking for the Ultimate would have not been worth the few $ savings once the cruise was repriced etc.

No one else’s passenger rewards program comes close to the added value of O Club. (As for the food item: all cruise lines are facing the same supply chain/staffing challenges. In comparison, O remains the “finest cuisine at sea.”)

OP: Ditto on “use the search feature here on CC.” I and others have posted very complete descriptions of how O Life can work to your advantage. But, for starters: O Life can be with air or air credit. Choose the allowed excursions (<$200 sa) and add enough others to get 25% discount on those. Specialty restaurants: No charge for as many times as you can add (space available) to your base allotment schedule pre-cruise. And all dining venues serve excellent food. The “specialties” are focused menus and ambiance. Entertainment: Martini’s has pianist nightly. String quartet plays daily in different location. Multi-talented band plays in Main Bar (Horizons). O uses same talent agency as NCL for onboard company and changing guest performers but ship size limits big productions (want a Broadway show? Go to Broadway). FWIW: Most O itineraries have 75%+\- repeat customers. And many of them were former Celebrity regulars. Finally: where O really shines is longer/exotic itineraries. IMO a 7 day Bermuda cruise is a “boat ride” that will not be time enough to really experience what O has to offer.

Last time I checked, NYC was closer to BCN than is SFO and AA was not United. In any case, I know I have an old United mileage chart somewhere. But, if I look at it, I know I’ll get depressed.

Some days that’s a bargain👀

Grand Dining Room has several repetitive Jacques Pepin meat/fish/vegetarian classics nightly (for the less adventurous[?]) . But the rest of the menu is varied and diverse nightly with something for everyone. Note as well that the only real difference among dining venues on any O ship is the menu focus and ambiance. All the food is top quality as are the ingredients and preparation.

UA flies nonstop SFO-LHR.