Excursions-"Your World Collection" ONBOARD PURCHASE?

[Michael@ssrp]

We have substantial OBC's. Is it possible to purchase the Your World Collection ON BOARD to take advantage of both our OBC and the 25% YW discount? I know that if we purchase it in advance one must use a CC....and would to prefer to use our OBC there as opposed to some OTHER outrageously overpriced item. Our internet, gratuities, and beverages are already amply covered....;);)

[newbie60]

When I inquired about using OBC for a single excursion prior to boarding and was told "No, that's why its called an ON BOARD CREDIT". Good try though. We ended up using ours for wine and spa days while on board.

[rallydave]

Don't know if this will work on Oceania but, it works and works well on Regent so might give it a try. You firs book your excursions of choice when they become available and of course pay via credit card.

 

When you board, head directly to the Destinations Desk and ask if there is space available on the tours you have already paid for. If yes, cancel your pre-booking and immediately rebook using your OBC. The money that you paid is then shown as a refundable credit on your account and you can at any time ask for the money back in cash.

 

Win, win as you paid using a points credit card and you retain the points yet get refunded exactly what you paid. If the tour is fully booked, you simply keep your early reservation or you can cancel as above and get wait listed and hope you clear; your choice depending on your risk factor.

 

Don't know if that will work on Oceania but, worth a shot and the worst thing is you still get your excursion of choice. With Regent and Oceania working out of the same office with many people working supporting both cruise lines, it might just work. Destinations is headed up by a single person for both cruise lines and they seem to be getting closer and closer to the same in several areas.

[ChatKat in Ca.]

Destinations is headed up by a single person for both cruise lines and they seem to be getting closer and closer to the same in several areas.

 

The ships have different brand names on their mastheads. As we have heard here many times there will be no merger. :rolleyes:

[rallydave]

The ships have different brand names on their mastheads. As we have heard here many times there will be no merger. :rolleyes:

 

Yes, know very well what the Oracle of Regent has stated as fact. Doesn't change a bit what I wrote. It is a fact that the bosses son is the VP of Destinations for both lines and many people hold dual positions in both cruise lines starting in all three Presidents offices.

[Travelcat2]

IMO, it makes sense for the top executive to be the same for Oceania and Regent. In the case of destination services, I see where the similarities between the two lines would be close. There are only so many tour operators and so many places to visit. I feel Oceania offers a better range of tours.... those that work in conjunction with their fabulous cooking program.

 

Booking from home and rebooking onboard works well as long as the excursion is not full. You need to cancel and rebook onboard. If the excursion is waitlisted, the first person on the waitlist would get your reservation. If this works differently on Oceania, I'm sure someone will post.

 

 

P.S. One area that is definitely run separately is the air department but the top executive is no doubt the same on both cruise lines.

[rallydave]

P.S. One area that is definitely run separately is the air department but the top executive is no doubt the same on both cruise lines.

 

Another statement of fact that can only be known by someone actually working for Regent/Oceania/PCH. Seems unlikely to me that the air departments don't have very similar processes and that depending on need people go back and forth between the two companies. I don't work there and this is just my opinion as both cruise lines are now working in the same building with many people holding dual roles in both lines.

 

In fact, all of the top execs are in the same position for all three companies. Can believe that the air departments are run separately but, under similar operating procedures and with similar to identical air contracts. Anything less would make no sense from a cost point of view. Why repeat everything in that department when the end results are almost identical. No doubt the costs charged the customer differs but, the product and many destinations are identical.

[Paulchili]

Don't know if this will work on Oceania but, it works and works well on Regent so might give it a try. You firs book your excursions of choice when they become available and of course pay via credit card.

 

When you board, head directly to the Destinations Desk and ask if there is space available on the tours you have already paid for. If yes, cancel your pre-booking and immediately rebook using your OBC. The money that you paid is then shown as a refundable credit on your account and you can at any time ask for the money back in cash.

 

Dave,

I think that this may very well work for individual excursions where you can book and cancel individual tours.

The OP is asking about "Your World Collection". Is that a package of tours? If so, then it may not work the same as individual tours.

I rarely use ship's excursion and never take packages, so I am not familiar with this, but I am sure others are.

[rallydave]

Dave,

I think that this may very well work for individual excursions where you can book and cancel individual tours.

The OP is asking about "Your World Collection". Is that a package of tours? If so, then it may not work the same as individual tours.

I rarely use ship's excursion and never take packages, so I am not familiar with this, but I am sure others are.

 

Think you are correct Paul about changing a package deal. Good information for people with lots of OBC and booking individual tours. Possible to save money on a package by using the OBC that would end up higher in dollars but, possibly lower in out of pocket by using the OBC.

 

Really good for those with lots of Oceania OBC who have to use it or lose it and better than using it to buy the overpriced stuff in the stores. Might work out for a package but, have to be lucky with lots of availability and the willingness to work a bit to make all the changes.

 

Just threw it out there as it might make sense for a few people. Won't help the masses but, something to think about. When on this other line where I was able to get back ships money by using the slots which I never play asked several veterans of the line if it would work and they had no idea and had never thought of what I wanted to do. It was a no lose for me as I cashed in the credit on the card without even one pull on any of the machines and if it didn't work, came out even and if it worked, came out ahead.

 

Thanks for pointing out where I was missing some things and adding to the thread.

[orchestrapal]

As per the website, both tour packages state clearly that they are "refundable prior to embarkation." It seems that cancellation and rebooking would only work for individual tours.

Edited January 18, 2014 by orchestrapal

[willidc]

We have substantial OBC's. Is it possible to purchase the Your World Collection ON BOARD to take advantage of both our OBC and the 25% YW discount? I know that if we purchase it in advance one must use a CC....and would to prefer to use our OBC there as opposed to some OTHER outrageously overpriced item. Our internet, gratuities, and beverages are already amply covered....;);)

 

It sounds as if we are in the same 'boat'---so to speak. We have a sailing next month where we have a chunk of OBC with gratuities and internet included. While a good portion will go to wine with meals, we have the rest to spend.

 

We have also booked the "Your World Collection" and I called Oceania about ten days ago to ask the very question you asked in your posting. I was told that once on board I would have to pay the A la Carte price and would not be eligible for the 25% discount.

 

So, what we have done is we have booked the tours we wanted that are the most expensive and/or the tours we most wanted and would be disappointed if sold out. We have booked a couple of private tours as well. We have left three ports without tours to possibly book when we board and thus use some of our OBC. You can easily do a small spread sheet to compare what you save by booking at home vs. waiting until you board and see how much of your OBC will be used up and compare the percentages.

 

It seems as if they really want passengers to use their OBC for alcohol, spa and/or boutique.

 

If I may make a suggestion---since it appears you are on Riviera, La Reserve would be a very good use of some of that credit. It was well worth us spending our own cash when we did it twice. And there is also Privee on your ship. We will be on Nautica, so that choice is not available to us. Also, if you are a fan of wine tasting, they offer wine tasting seminars during the sailing.

 

Everyone should have our 'problems'---right? ;)

 

Enjoy your cruise on the beautiful and elegant Riviera.

[Michael@ssrp]

Thank you to all for your input...willidc I think you got it!! Waited on hold w/ Oceania to ask for A WHILE....and then posted the question with confidence that our CC friends would be responsive!! The interchange here was superior to the endless holding wait, and clearly more entertaining!!

[Travelcat2]

Don't know if this will work on Oceania but, it works and works well on Regent so might give it a try. You firs book your excursions of choice when they become available and of course pay via credit card.

 

When you board, head directly to the Destinations Desk and ask if there is space available on the tours you have already paid for. If yes, cancel your pre-booking and immediately rebook using your OBC. The money that you paid is then shown as a refundable credit on your account and you can at any time ask for the money back in cash.

 

Win, win as you paid using a points credit card and you retain the points yet get refunded exactly what you paid. If the tour is fully booked, you simply keep your early reservation or you can cancel as above and get wait listed and hope you clear; your choice depending on your risk factor.

 

Don't know if that will work on Oceania but, worth a shot and the worst thing is you still get your excursion of choice. With Regent and Oceania working out of the same office with many people working supporting both cruise lines, it might just work. Destinations is headed up by a single person for both cruise lines and they seem to be getting closer and closer to the same in several areas.

 

Think you need to have sailed on Oceania to know what the OP is referring to. The "Your World Collection" is not one excursion. You may want to check on the Oceania website to learn more about the types of excursion packages that are offered.