AMHuntFerry

I just checked a cruise that I have the O website prices from a few days ago (the current "regular" price). The upgraded prices are now showing. An easy way to tell is that the lowest categories (inside and Oceanview) will all be the same price. An example on an R ship (C2 to G are all $3299): I checked my Summer Sale notes for comparison. The Inside and Oceanview categories are more expensive with the Upgrade Sale, but the regular Veranda (B) categories are cheaper by at least $600 per person, maybe $1000 (I didn't dig into all levels). PHx is not on sale on this cruise. Lesson: Even if you booked a deeply discounted fare, your category may be cheaper now so it's worth checking.

In the past the "regular" sales such as upgrade (Labor Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day), Black Friday, etc. have had the prices showing on the O website. It's only been deeply discounted sales (Extraordinary sale, Summer sale, silent sales) that are harder to dig up. Some TA's have these "secret" prices posted on their website so they can be seen before ever contacting a real person.

In the past (= no promises!) there has been OBC (I've seen from $100 to $500), a price guarantee (if the price is lower later you got the lower price even if your category was waitlisted), and a discount that depended on category and length of cruise (maybe $100 to $1500 if I remember). Maybe someone onboard can chime in with any updates, corrections, or additions.

I lurked on the O forum for a year before posting. One thing I learned was not to pay attention to the topic's title. O posters tend to wander and there is a lot of excellent info buried in old posts.

As ORV pointed out, there is a good chance your flight schedule will change before/during your trip. When booking directly with the airline, if the schedule changes more than a certain amount (mine have been 30 minutes), then you can switch to a different schedule for zero cost difference (sometimes to a better itinerary/fare-class than the original). I don't know if this is available when booked through O, but can't hurt to ask if the itinerary is changed for the worse by the airline. Also, I'd recommend knowing the later BA flights (and which ones show available seats) so you can ask for them if you miss the connection (downloading an app may help too...again, don't know if the normal strategies apply when booked via O, or any other consolidator for that matter).

You may also be able to get that B3 for a lower price (depends on sale and availability and the always spell-checkable combinability rules). If you want to try the spa deck, pay $25 (or so) for a day pass and test it out. Pretty much everything included in concierge can be purchased, except the lounge on O and A ships.

There are often some PHs available with great discounts, but they are few and far between and sometimes the PH "on sale" are already waitlisted.

A typical example is that you can get an A2 for the B2 price. When the sale shows up on O's site, the price you see already has the discount applied. If there are specific cruises that interest you, download a catalog (or drag out your hard copy) with the current prices so you can tell what, if any, discount exists.

It was FDR (dad) who said it the American way and FDR Jr who said it the British way. The video was the Vista christening (on youtube)

There are a couple of places that may be helpful...not the most exciting reads, but full of critical info. The FAQs (not easy to find...way at the bottom of the website in small print): https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/categories/360000484693-Planning-My-Cruise and the T&Cs: https://www.oceaniacruises.com/legal/terms-conditions https://www.oceaniacruises.com/legal/promotion-terms Edit: I'll let those who have used O's air answer your questions as it's not something that is a good fit for me in most cases.

My version is "if you want the dishwasher loaded in a particular way, you can do it yourself" (which works in reverse too).

My spouse and I took our first cruise ever on Riviera in December 2021. Like you, I am the planner, so my spouse got on the plane knowing we were going to be on a ship and the general region we'd be visiting...that's pretty much it. I on the other hand had read every O post in recent years (many before the pandemic and I was glued to the first sailings during the weeks before ours) and watched the "tour" videos over and over...I could have walked around the ship blindfolded. My spouse on the other hand had no idea what to expect and it was so fun watching him discover all the ins and outs of our cruise. It was just ten days and we left wanting more...I'd call that a success! I hope your spouse and friends are as pleased as my spouse was and that you get to watch them enjoy their own "discoveries".

Check your Guest Statement and shorex pdfs (if you don't have them, get them from your TA or O-rep) for the cancellation rules. I only have the old OLife, but there was a 2 weeks before embarkation deadline for OLife excursions. YWC 25% deadline was embarkation and a-l-carte deadline was 3 days before shorex. From my Guest Contract p. 2 (NOT SM): Cancellation of Ancillary Items Description Policy Fee Pre or Post Cruise Hotel Within 60 days prior to departure 100% fee Pre or Post Land Packages Within 60 days prior to departure 100% fee Overland Tours Within 60 days prior to departure 100% fee Visa Packages Within 60 days prior to departure 100% fee Executive Collection & Private Transfers Within 36 hours of scheduled arrangement 100% fee A La Carte Shore Excursions Within 36 hours of excursion departure 100% fee Shore Excurision Packages On or after Embarkation day 100% fee Culinary, La Reserve & Privee Within 36 hours of scheduled reservation 100% fee Custom Air Fee Once accepted 100% fee Air Supplemental Fee Standard cancellation policy 100% fee Waitlist bookings once cleared have 48 hours to cancel without penalty from time of clearance. If the cleared waitlist booking is not cancelled within this 48 hour period, normal cancellation fees will apply. From my Guest Contract p. 4 (NOT SM): "Amenities: Promotional and Oceania Club Promotional amenities included on select cruises...OLife Choice free shore excursions ... If shore excursion amenity is selected, all excursions must be chosen at least 14 days prior to sailing." Look for the similar sections of your guest contract and on the first and last pages of your shorex pdf for the rules that apply to your booking.

From the T&Cs https://www.oceaniacruises.com/legal/promotion-terms "simply MORE Champagne, Wine, and More amenity is the House Select beverage package..." The House Select beverage package is tried and true (until it's not 😉 ) Edit: unless you meant the specific individual wines are not known...then, never mind

Not pressed unless dry cleaned. A-cat receive free pressing vouchers for 3 (or 4?) garments.

@daydreamer62The minimum varies by cruise length, and is not always available on some (usually shorter <10 day) cruises. And yes, the minimum is per person.

Here is the link to the Wellington cruise port with shuttle and other info: https://www.centreport.co.nz/what-we-do/cruise-ships/

Only if you have reached the initial penalty phase that is listed in your Guest Statement. Otherwise you are refunded the entire deposit.

When I'm overly amused I get snarky...such a vice

Ah, still catching up...maybe I should have a rule "shut up until caught up" 🙂 Edit: apparently I missed all of p. 3 ...sigh

One thing I'm not clear on since I've only booked onboard (not gotten a cert.)...with a FCC are you locked in to the first cruise booked, or do you still have the switch-to-a-different-cruise option? Thanks! Edit: I just realized the new cancellation policy may affect the fiscal sense of switching...sigh, sometimes not worth the time for the $$ 🙂

Again, definition of "most" is different (i.e, does not equal "all"). Also, booking onboard means you get a price guarantee, so if the great sale price gets even cheaper, but there is a waitlist for your cabin, new bookers can't get the sale price but the booked onboard person can get it; it seems like you would prefer this option given your propensity for deals so I'm perplexed at your stance against getting a lower price guarantee if prices drop.

I think we have different definitions of "most" and "avid".

Looks like you found it. Have fun!

I have a vague memory of someone mentioning the onboard booking person (I'm so bad at actual titles!) can sometimes pre-book (again, probably wrong word) cruises that are viewable but not bookable. (Whispering to jonthomas: There is also a rockstar onboard which may be useful to you.)