Just a little Oceania pre-trip planning venting

[teony20]

We have never cruised with Oceania before and are very much looking forward to our first cruise with them this June.

 

I've found myself to become a bit frustrated and p'd off with a couple of things. I am going through a TA too.

 

First I was told that we would get a $1200 air credit pp if we didn't take Oceania's air. Well, by the time I told my TA that we were taking our own air, the Oceania air credit is now $1000 pp. (so that's a $400 loss for us)

 

Then, we were told that if we use Amex Platinum we would be eligible for $300 OBC + wine tasting party, + ??. So, I used my Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex for the deposit. THis is not Oceania's fault - but I subsequently found out that the Delta Skymiles Platinum Amex is not the same as the real Amex Platinum. OK.

 

So, today, I was approved for a real Amex Platinum card and told my TA that I want my bal due to be charged to the new Platinum Amex. So, my TA informed me that Oceania will not grant me the special OBC and perks unless the entire cost of the trip was charged to the Platinum Amex! (Just lost an extra $300 OBC).

 

I just wish Oceania was just a bit more flexible to make their customers happy.

 

Just venting! Thanks for listening.

[tropicalkerry2002]

I know that this must irritate you....

 

My TA always tells me what the air credit is AT THAT MOMENT when I book, and warns me that it can change. Fortunately, when we DO get our FF tickets, we have never experienced a change. We have been lucky! Your TA should have told you it could change.

 

Re the credit card...I experienced something similar years ago...wanted the final payment on a different card for some perks....but wouldn't get them, because the whole fare wasn't on that card.

 

Hopefully your TA is throwing in some goodies to make you happier!

 

Have a great trip, Oceania is fabulous!

[teony20]

Thanks for helping me feel better.

[Travelcat2]

Your TA should have been aware of all of this and advised you when you booked! I feel badly that many people use TA's that are not familiar with Oceania's policies and, in this case, didn't even know that the only Amex that gives you onboard benefits is the "branded" platinum card. We learned about the Amex card from our TA.

 

Really hope that you enjoy your cruise and also hope that you find a better TA for future cruises.

[canuck.qc]

Your TA should have explained all this to you. That said, a good TA should give you some of their own perks such as PPG, OBC, internet, etc. that can make up the loss. It all can be very frustrating so if this TA doesn't come through, on your cruise ask around for recommendations. Have a nice trip.

[Paulchili]

Your TA is wrong.

You do NOT need to charge all (or any ) of your cruise on the Plat AMEX to get those benefits. Call your Plat Amex representative (not your TA).

You only need to have it and charge everything on ANY Amex card.

I no longer have this card but I have encountered this many times in the past and I had no problem.

However, you may have a different problem. Sometimes only one "Promo credit" can be granted - either the Plat Amex one or the Oceania OBC (if any) but not both.

If you do a search here for Plat Amex, you may find that discussion.

[Paulchili]

Addendum to above - this was true a few years ago and should still be so unless Amex changed the rules recently.

PS to OP. If you are using your Delta Amex for miles, consider changing your game.

Sky Miles are Sky Pesos - next to useless (although both UA & AA are lately trying very hard to "be like Delta") :D

Edited March 9, 2016 by Paulchili

[arima22]

Quote OP

'First I was told that we would get a $1200 air credit pp if we didn't take Oceania's air. Well, by the time I told my TA that we were taking our own air, the Oceania air credit is now $1000 pp. (so that's a $400 loss for us)"

 

You don't need a TA to tell what the difference in cost is for an Oceania cruise with air and without air. Just use the Oceania "find a cruise" section of the site, select a cruise to research and one of the first questions you are asked is whether you need air or not. Compare the prices of the 2 lists- first with air, second without air.

[Travelcat2]

IMO, a good TA will let you know when you book that the air credit could change and that it is best to make the decision as to whether or not you want to include air at the time of booking. While that isn't a huge deal since air credits do not change frequently, not advising a client about the Amex offer is something that I would consider changing TA's over.

[DaveFr]

Paulchili is correct and the OP's TA is wrong. As long as the entire cruise is paid for with some AMEX card, the OP is entitled to the $300 credit as long as he or she has an AMEX Platinum card before his cruise begins. All AMEX cards used must be in the OP's name. Here is the text of the benefit from the AMEX website:

"Valid for new bookings of voyages of at least five nights made with a participating supplier through Platinum Travel Service, Centurion Travel Service, any American Express Travel office or the Agency Services Desk. May not be combined with other offers unless indicated. Blackout dates, category and fare restrictions may apply. Payment must be made with an American Express Card in U.S. Platinum Card Member or U.S. Centurion® Member's name. Available for U.S. Platinum Charge Card Members and U.S. Centurion® Members only, and excludes Platinum Credit Card Members such as Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Card Members who are not also U.S Platinum Charge Card Members or U.S. Centurion® Members. Card Member must travel on itinerary booked. Benefits listed require double occupancy and are non-transferable. Program benefits may not be available to residents outside of the contiguous United States. Card Members receive $100 USD shipboard credit for inside and outside staterooms; $200 USD shipboard credit for balcony, verandah, and mini-suite staterooms; and $300 USD shipboard credit for suites on Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. Card Members receive $300 USD shipboard credit for all Queen Mary oceanview staterooms category ED or higher, and Queen Victoria/ Queen Elizabeth oceanview staterooms category FA or higher on Cunard Line. Card Members receive $300 USD shipboard credit for all stateroom categories on Ama Waterways, Oceania, Paul Gauguin, Regent, Azamara, Seabourn, Crystal, Silversea, Uniworld, and Windstar. Centurion Members receive an additional $200 ($500 total) USD shipboard credit on Crystal Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn, and Silversea. All shipboard credits will be credited to the guest's stateroom folio upon checkout. Shipboard credit amounts in international jurisdictions may vary due to foreign exchange rates and timing of application. Shipboard credits are subject to cruise line policies. Credits cannot be used for casino charges and gratuities. Unused portion of credit is non-refundable and is not redeemable for cash. Other restrictions may apply, see onboard cashier for details. The Cruise Privileges Program benefits (shipboard credits and additional amenities) are not available on Crystal Cruises Yacht Cruises. Additional amenity not available on the Silversea Expedition Fleet: Silver Explorer, Silver Galapagos, and Silver Discoverer. Limit one benefit package per stateroom; three-stateroom limit per Card Member, per sailing. To obtain benefits, travel agents must visit americanexpress.com/asdonline. Participating providers and benefits subject to change."

 

Dave

[Paulchili]

Thank you DaveFr.

Welcome back to O boards :)

[janecambridge]

Amex card,.Could this be a possibility in UK?

[LHT28]

It was hard to read the big red post so just a quick question for clarification

 

Do you need to book through an Amex or affiliate TA to get the perk?

[Paulchili]

It was hard to read the big red post so just a quick question for clarification

 

Do you need to book through an Amex or affiliate TA to get the perk?

 

I don't believe that you do.

Just own a Plat Amex and charge ALL the cruise costs on any Amex card.

Remember that the annual membership is $450 - not cost effective for everyone.

You have to be able to take full advantage of all of their perks to make it worthwhile.

[Tansy Mews]

I know that this must irritate you....

My TA always tells me what the air credit is AT THAT MOMENT when I book, and warns me that it can change. <snip>

 

I know this is off-topic but... once you get a written "guest statement" with an air credit noted, can it change again? Just curious. The guest statements I have had do have an asterisk and this note:

Pricing Details

*Please note that the Air Allowance/Credit available to guests, not utilizing our Air Inclusive Program, is based on prevailing Air Allowance/Credit rates in effect on the date the change is made.

i.e. on the date that Oceania has been told you wish an air credit, I assume.

 

Thanks!

[bitob]

I don't believe that you do.

 

Just own a Plat Amex and charge ALL the cruise costs on any Amex card.

 

Remember that the annual membership is $450 - not cost effective for everyone.

 

You have to be able to take full advantage of all of their perks to make it worthwhile.

 

 

You are way better off charging your trip to chase sapphire getting double points and free cancellAtion /interruptioninsurance. Worth way more than any Amex benefit. We never charge travel to our Amex platinum

[tropicalkerry2002]

Not quite sure what you mean... if you mean: do you have to pay more if the air credit drops after you have booked, I would certainly be upset if I did! That has never happened to me, and I have not worried about it.

[Paulchili]

You are way better off charging your trip to chase sapphire getting double points and free cancellAtion /interruptioninsurance. Worth way more than any Amex benefit. We never charge travel to our Amex platinum

 

I agree - we cancelled ours years ago.

I have no use for Delta miles.

[Jancruz]

I agree - we cancelled ours years ago.

I have no use for Delta miles.

 

Plus 1

Jancruz1

[warburg]

You are way better off charging your trip to chase sapphire getting double points and free cancellAtion /interruptioninsurance. Worth way more than any Amex benefit. We never charge travel to our Amex platinum

 

Greetings, bitib49354954. I have the Chase Sapphire and the Chase Sapphire Preferred cards. According to the info I received from Chase Customer Service, their benefits differ. Chase Sapphire Preferred offers 2 points for travel and $10,000 for cancellation/interruption insurance vs. 1 point and $5,000. No foreign transaction fees with Preferred vs. 3%. No contest. Plus preferred has great customer service. It is possible that my info is incorrect, although I certainly hope not.

 

I also have AmX Plat. There are certain advantages to using the card, as well. For example, I earn double Membership Rewards Points for every dollar spent on a cruise plus the AmX perks. Not a bad deal, either. In any case, happy cruising.

 

Mary

Edited March 10, 2016 by warburg

[Tansy Mews]

Not quite sure what you mean... if you mean: do you have to pay more if the air credit drops after you have booked, I would certainly be upset if I did! That has never happened to me, and I have not worried about it.

 

Good! It hasn't happened to me either.

I was just looking for clarification of this comment from you:

"My TA always tells me what the air credit is AT THAT MOMENT when I book, and warns me that it can change."

 

I guess you meant that the air credit can change before you actually book.

[buggins0402]

I agree - we cancelled ours years ago.

I have no use for Delta miles.

 

The Delta Amex card is a necessary evil for us since we live in a hub. Most of the butt in the seat miles we accumulate are Delta because the flights are so convenient. We can get anywhere in Europe and most of Asia in one stop.

 

Perhaps once we're retired and can opt for more stops and less convenient flights we'll start using some other airlines. We do have the complete set of airline cards.

 

I thought I read on the Cruiseair board that AA is going to devalue, along the lines of United and DL.

[LHT28]

Good! It hasn't happened to me either.

I was just looking for clarification of this comment from you:

"My TA always tells me what the air credit is AT THAT MOMENT when I book, and warns me that it can change."

 

I guess you meant that the air credit can change before you actually book.

In my experience if you take the O air then decide later on (closer to sailing) you want to take the air credit it may not be as much as it was 9mths or a year ago ...if that makes sense :D

[LHT28]

I don't believe that you do.

Just own a Plat Amex and charge ALL the cruise costs on any Amex card.

Remember that the annual membership is $450 - not cost effective for everyone.

You have to be able to take full advantage of all of their perks to make it worthwhile.

Thanks Paul

it was hard to read without paragraphs :D

 

Not for us we do not fly much in a year

[tropicalkerry2002]

no. I book over a year before sail date, and at that point I can't get FF tickets. So I know what the credit is at the time of booking, but know it can change before I phone to cancel the Oceania air once I have my FF tickets.

It never has.

Then I get a new Guest Statement with the air credit showing on it, and a final, lesser final payment due.