O combining two cruises into 1

[cocomacy]

We are booked on two back to back cruises (10 days each one) in July in the med, and for the first time O has combined them as 1 cruise. Our account online with them only shows the first one, so we cannot see excursions for 2nd cruise, they want payment sooner i.e 17 February and we can't see the 2nd cruise online in our account, and not that important, but we only get recognition for 1 cruise, not 2.

Has anyone else noticed this?. I have already asked out TA to go back to them once before, and still no 2nd cruise showing.:confused:

[TERRIER1]

This happened to us on our 32 day cruise to Australia/New Zealand and the South Pacific. The cruise was comprised of two 16 day segments. We were not allowed to book the two cruises as a B2B. The second segment never appeared on line under my reservation. I had to call Oceania to make my restaurant reservations. Excursion never appeared either but we used independent tours with other Oceania cruisers.

 

The second segment was grossly undersold and Oceania then marketed that segment at a major discount. They refused to give us credit for the second segment even though it was before final payment. If we cancelled and rebooked we would lose our cabin. Anyone booked only on the first segment was given the opportunity to sign up for the second segment at the discount using a B2B format. Lesson learned. We will never book a grand voyage with Oceania again. They seem to market Grand Voyages when one of the segments is not as desirable as the other.

[Robjame]

Has anyone else noticed this?. I have already asked out TA to go back to them once before, and still no 2nd cruise showing.:confused:

 

Not quite the same as our experience.

However we booked the first cruise and did our negotiations through our TA BEFORE we paid downpayment for our second. We did show interest on the Oceania site but waited until Oceania wanted us to pony-up.

 

Our conditions before we booked the second cruise (b2b):

- same cabin even though it did not show as available

- discount equal to total discount for the two booked together

- credit for 2 cruises, not one (in other words kept as 2 separate cruises with dining etc. for each and Credit for Oceania Tier level)

- additional OBC as first cruise included prepaid gratuities (asked for prepaid gratuities but settled on additional $400 credit for this 10 day cruise).

[PaulMCO]

This is a known issue with the web site. You have to do the excursion and restaurant bookings by phone. Mike Moore who is their head of IT is aware of the issue and it is on their fix list. However to be fair -- it has been on their hit list for over a year and really needs to be fixed.

[LHT28]

This is nothing new

My wonderful TA went to bat for us last yr & got us 2 separate bookings #'s

no discount except for the 2 airfare but we got our 2 credits

so that worked for us

[ORV]

I took a Grand Voyage over a year ago and booked the Specialty Restaurants Online. I got the allotment for two segments instead of one.

 

Keep in mind you will probably only get one set of Oceania Club perks.

[newbie60]

Like Terrier, we have been burned by the Grand Voyage situation, so much so that we will no longer allow it to happen and finally, our TA has figured out the benefit to booking two separate cruises. For our next longer cruise we have two booking numbers, made about 6 weeks apart (one while onboard Sirena so got that extra benefit too).

 

Since that happened, several benefits have showed up for the portion of the cruise that is not so desirable, including extra OBC, and we would not have received those if booked at the Extended Voyage advertised in the Oceania materials. Our TA even has a 'group' discount on one portion and we got that too. Again, that would not have happened if we only had the Extended Journey booked.

 

Dining rez don't open up for a while but I foresee no problems since I have two distinct bookings, both of which I can access.

[Bowie MeMe]

We are taking a World Cruise segment Singapore to Abu Dhabi in April 2017 (18 days) and another World Cruise segment Jan 2018 Bridgetown to Cape Town (26 days plus 3 land days post). These all show as single cruises. I only have O credit of Blue even though I have been on ship for close to 40 days before booking the 2018. I have to pay the WC 6 months early etc etc but don't seem to get much other loyalty benefit for the number of days on ship. Is there any other way to book a WC segment that would get rid of the early payment etc. Any downsides to 2 cruises if available instead of 1? Just interested for thinking about.

[arima22]

Your 2 cruises are offered only as one cruise, they are not the combination of 2 shorter cruises even though the one is considered extra long. Here's the chart for cruise awards base on number of days per cruise- Oceania does not award for total days cruised:

Oceania Club Levels

More Rewarding than Ever

Club Members qualify for Oceania Club Level status based on the number of cruise credits earned.

Cruises up to 24 days will receive one cruise credit

Cruises 25-34 days will receive two cruise credits

Cruises 35-44 days will receive three cruise credits

Cruises 45-54 days will receive four cruise credits

Cruises 55-64 days will receive five cruise credits

Cruises 65-99 days will receive seven cruise credits

Cruises 100-179 days will receive ten cruise credits

Cruises 180 + days will receive fifteen cruise credits

 

On the final Payment here is the policy: Unless otherwise noted, final payment must be received by Oceania Cruises 90 days prior to cruise departure for voyages less than 15 days and 150 days prior for voyages 15 days or more.

Edited February 4, 2017 by arima22

[LHT28]

We are taking a World Cruise segment Singapore to Abu Dhabi in April 2017 (18 days) and another World Cruise segment Jan 2018 Bridgetown to Cape Town (26 days plus 3 land days post). These all show as single cruises. I only have O credit of Blue even though I have been on ship for close to 40 days before booking the 2018. I have to pay the WC 6 months early etc etc but don't seem to get much other loyalty benefit for the number of days on ship. Is there any other way to book a WC segment that would get rid of the early payment etc. Any downsides to 2 cruises if available instead of 1? Just interested for thinking about.

:confused:

So you have cruised 40 days at this point in time ??

If you think you should have more credits then contact Oceania with your Club numbers

 

 

You will get 1 credit for the April cruise

2 credits for the Jan 2018 cruise

You do not actually get the credit until you are on the ship

I am not sure the World cruise payment schedule applies if you are just taking a segment

[Bowie MeMe]

:confused:

So you have cruised 40 days at this point in time ??

If you think you should have more credits then contact Oceania with your Club numbers

 

 

You will get 1 credit for the April cruise

2 credits for the Jan 2018 cruise

You do not actually get the credit until you are on the ship

I am not sure the World cruise payment schedule applies if you are just taking a segment

 

Yes you do have to pay early on World Cruise segments. The April cruise was paid for in early Nov. for mid April. Blew that one so I know -- Christmas 3 birthdays and 2 cruises all in one month OOOPS!:p Payment for the Jan. 2018 is 16 Aug 2017 (my 48th wedding anniversary!). The contract says that 14 and under days is 90 days before for final payment and for 15 or more days it is 180 days out. That includes World Cruises and Grand Voyages. Can get your deposit back (with fee?) until July. Do you know where 2 credits for a journey begins -- number of days? I have a 10 and a 12 day cruise done and 18 day on the way and then a 26 day with O post cruise of 3 days. Reg. cabin -- down on 4 where I can answer questions for Registration Desk or give you a band aid. :D

[arima22]

Please read post #9.

[LHT28]

Do you know where 2 credits for a journey begins -- number of days? I have a 10 and a 12 day cruise done and 18 day on the way and then a 26 day with O post cruise of 3 days. Reg. cabin -- down on 4 where I can answer questions for Registration Desk or give you a band aid. :D

Not sure what you are asking

If your cruise is 25 to 34 days long you get 2 cruise credits

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/experience/oceania-club/levels/

 

I would ask your TA if you used one or Oceania when the Bronze level perks kick in ?

Maybe at the start of your 26 day cruise ??

[cocomacy]

Your 2 cruises are offered only as one cruise, they are not the combination of 2 shorter cruises even though the one is considered extra long. Here's the chart for cruise awards base on number of days per cruise- Oceania does not award for total days cruised:

Oceania Club Levels

More Rewarding than Ever

Club Members qualify for Oceania Club Level status based on the number of cruise credits earned.

Cruises up to 24 days will receive one cruise credit

Cruises 25-34 days will receive two cruise credits

Cruises 35-44 days will receive three cruise credits

Cruises 45-54 days will receive four cruise credits

Cruises 55-64 days will receive five cruise credits

Cruises 65-99 days will receive seven cruise credits

Cruises 100-179 days will receive ten cruise credits

Cruises 180 + days will receive fifteen cruise credits

 

On the final Payment here is the policy: Unless otherwise noted, final payment must be received by Oceania Cruises 90 days prior to cruise departure for voyages less than 15 days and 150 days prior for voyages 15 days or more.

 

Hi Arima22, thanks for your input, however, we did not buy one cruise, when we booked the cruise with our agent it was sold as 2 separate cruises, we just just opted to do 1, and then follow on with the next one. They made decision to join the two together and impose these conditions. On our original booking i.e. 2 10 day cruises we should not be paying 150 days in advance, we should be getting 2 cruise credits, and Mike moore from Oceania needs to fix his website, so we may go online and access our bookings properly (both of them).

[cocomacy]

Payment 150 days out for 2x 10 day cruises when it should be 90 days out.?

 

I hope O are not having cash flow problems!

[arima22]

Hi Arima22, thanks for your input, however, we did not buy one cruise, when we booked the cruise with our agent it was sold as 2 separate cruises, we just just opted to do 1, and then follow on with the next one. They made decision to join the two together and impose these conditions. On our original booking i.e. 2 10 day cruises we should not be paying 150 days in advance, we should be getting 2 cruise credits, and Mike moore from Oceania needs to fix his website, so we may go online and access our bookings properly (both of them).

 

The replies that you are looking at were not meant for your original post, they were in answer to BowieMeMe's post number 8.

[Jayne E]

Like Terrier, we have been burned by the Grand Voyage situation, so much so that we will no longer allow it to happen and finally, our TA has figured out the benefit to booking two separate cruises. For our next longer cruise we have two booking numbers, made about 6 weeks apart (one while onboard Sirena so got that extra benefit too).

 

Since that happened, several benefits have showed up for the portion of the cruise that is not so desirable, including extra OBC, and we would not have received those if booked at the Extended Voyage advertised in the Oceania materials. Our TA even has a 'group' discount on one portion and we got that too. Again, that would not have happened if we only had the Extended Journey booked.

 

Dining rez don't open up for a while but I foresee no problems since I have two distinct bookings, both of which I can access.

Grand Voyage just an excuse not to give 2 credits!!

Our med cruise last summer was $1100 more if booked separately with 2 credits. O told TA up to us what we wanted. Couple we met on cruise we're getting 2 credits but not aware how much more they had paid. Price discount amounts to "old" B2B pricing but without 2 credits. I think that too many were booking ten B2B cruises and getting free cruise after ten cruises.

[cocomacy]

Does O give a free cruise after 10 cruises?

[JimandStan]

Does O give a free cruise after 10 cruises?

Not ten-

The twentieth cruise is the free one.

[Jayne E]

I know that. I was referring to people who have done 10 B2B cruises.....that's 20 credits and a free cruise.

Edited February 9, 2017 by Jayne E
Typo

[LHT28]

I know that. I was referring to people who have done 10 B2B cruises.....that's 20 credits and a free cruise.

I am sure you are trying to make a point but not sure what it is

 

They are still paying for 19 cruises & the 20th would be their "free" cruise which is not counted towards the next free cruise

[JimandStan]

I know that. I was referring to people who have done 10 B2B cruises.....that's 20 credits and a free cruise.

 

LOL or 5 cruises if you combine 4 at a time-

Why would they care how you mix and match them as long as it totals 20 cruises?

[Paulchili]

LOL

Why would they care how you mix and match them as long as it totals 20 cruises?

 

Well, they actually do (or should) care. After all, you get the same credit - 1 cruise - for a 7 day cruise as you do for a 24 day cruise.

Thus if you took three 7 day cruises, you'd have 3 cruise credits; if you take one 24 day cruise you get only 1 cruise credit.

Which do you think the customers would prefer and which would O prefer? :D

In other words - theoretically speaking - 19 seven day cruise will get you a free one - total number of days cruised is 133.

While with 24 day cruises you would need 19 of those for a total of 456 days.

O would like you to take 19 of the 24 day cruises before giving you a free one; customers would prefer to pay for 19 seven day cruises to get a free one.

This makes an excellent argument for counting number of days cruised vs number of cruises for a free cruise (as well as for loyalty level benefits).

Many other lines use that formula for loyalty benefits.

Edited February 9, 2017 by Paulchili