Question about Oceania Club Benefits

[LHT28]

17 minutes ago, Janet- said:

Has this changed recently.

We booked on board last summer for an autumn departure and received full O life benefits, air credits and cruise credits for each of the 3 b2bs. The second and third cruises were offered as an extended voyage. What we didn't get was the 5% discount on the 2nd and 3rd cruise. We did get it for the 1st though.

I know   they were doing this in 2016   as we booked the B2B  with 2 separate booking numbers ..no 5% discount though

They had added the 2 cruises into one Voyage  but  my TA  got them separately 

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, Janet- said:

Has this changed recently.

We booked on board last summer for an autumn departure and received full O life benefits, air credits and cruise credits for each of the 3 b2bs. The second and third cruises were offered as an extended voyage. What we didn't get was the 5% discount on the 2nd and 3rd cruise. We did get it for the 1st though.

Nothing has changed. Perhaps you misunderstood your entire deal. 

 

If you are an accurate reporter with this whole cruise having a single booking number, and segments 2 and 3 were already an "extended journey," that part of your overall fare price was already discounted compared to the two individual segments in that extended journey. You would then receive another 5% discount on segment 1 for creating the "custom cruise." (So, no double dipping there with discount added to the existing extended journey discount). 

You would also receive all O Life benefits associated with each segment.

 

As for air credit, you would receive RT air credit for segment 1 and air credit for the extended journey RT (i.e., outbound on segment 2 and inbound on segment 3). What you should not have received (and probably did not) was RT air credit on each segment of the "extended journey" (i.e., RT credit for segment two AND a RT credit for segment 3).

As for the cruise credits, have you double checked that number awarded? I have seen some occasional flexibility in that area. But, it may be worth your taking a second look at what you officially "earned" vs what you got.

[Janet-]

2 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Nothing has changed. Perhaps you misunderstood your entire deal. 

 

If you are an accurate reporter with this whole cruise having a single booking number, and segments 2 and 3 were already an "extended journey," that part of your overall fare price was already discounted compared to the two individual segments in that extended journey. You would then receive another 5% discount on segment 1 for creating the "custom cruise." (So, no double dipping there with discount added to the existing extended journey discount). 

You would also receive all O Life benefits associated with each segment.

 

As for air credit, you would receive RT air credit for segment 1 and air credit for the extended journey RT (i.e., outbound on segment 2 and inbound on segment 3). What you should not have received (and probably did not) was RT air credit on each segment of the "extended journey" (i.e., RT credit for segment two AND a RT credit for segment 3).

As for the cruise credits, have you double checked that number awarded? I have seen some occasional flexibility in that area. But, it may be worth your taking a second look at what you officially "earned" vs what you got.

 

My post above is what actually happened. 3 air credits, 3 O life and 3 cruise credits. Although cruise 2 and 3 were available as an extended voyage I booked them as 2 separate cruises.

Incidentally I wouldn't part with any money unless I understood the deal.

[Flatbush Flyer]

3 hours ago, Janet- said:

 

My post above is what actually happened. 3 air credits, 3 O life and 3 cruise credits. Although cruise 2 and 3 were available as an extended voyage I booked them as 2 separate cruises.

Incidentally I wouldn't part with any money unless I understood the deal.

Something doesn't make sense here (at least, to me). In your original post you said: "What we didn't get was the 5% discount on the 2nd and 3rd cruise. We did get it for the 1st though." 

And you also said that you booked them as "three separate cruises." Does that mean you have three separate booking.numbers?

 

If that's the case (you have 3 booking numbers) and segments 2 and 3  were sold to you as individual cruises (without the "extended journey" discount or, alternatively, a 5% "custom cruise" discount), why would you have chosen to not create a single "custom cruise" with 5% off each segment (in addition to the onboard booking discount (approx 3-4%+\-) additional savings on the total purchase???

 

 

Edited August 10, 2019 by Flatbush Flyer

[LHT28]

My understanding is

If you get the  individual booking numbers (as Janet did)  & the  cruises are also a GV or extended voyage  you do no longer get the 5% discount on those cruises

That is the way it worked for us back in 2016

We took the air credit for both cruises & booked our own air

You can get the cruise credit for both cruises & perks that go with the Loyalty status  for both cruises

 

Not everything is set in stone

Just saying

[Janet-]

LHT28 is correct.

We also got the on board discount for each cruise.

We chose to book it this way as cruise 2 and 3 had both been reduced but the extended voyage had not. ( there's been many disgruntled posts about this happening in the past)

Cruise 2 and 3 were also sold as "Ultimate" (but not the extended cruise).

I certainly know how to do maths.

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 hours ago, LHT28 said:

My understanding is

If you get the  individual booking numbers (as Janet did)  & the  cruises are also a GV or extended voyage  you do no longer get the 5% discount on those cruises

That is the way it worked for us back in 2016

We took the air credit for both cruises & booked our own air

You can get the cruise credit for both cruises & perks that go with the Loyalty status  for both cruises

 

Not everything is set in stone

Just saying

Which is exactly what I am saying.

[LHT28]

13 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Which is exactly what I am saying.

not exactly 😎

 

Anyway

people should do what works best for them

[Flatbush Flyer]

24 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

not exactly 😎

 

Anyway

people should do what works best for them

Well, "almost exactly." And, yes, folks should do the math based on the rules for their country.

 

What was missed in this equation is that Janet is from the U.K. (Just checked her profile) and that may be why she was able to choose separate vs extended cruise(s) just like Brits can get "ultimate" O Life, which is generally not available to U.S. passengers.

 

What has "recently" changed (at some point in 2018, what previously had been a "gray area" [as suggested above] finally became "set in stone") is that multisegment cruises marketed as extended voyages can no longer be booked as as a combination of individual cruises -each with its own booking number, at least for US folks (it happened about the same time as O Life perks were capped at $800 or 8 excursions per cabin (again, that's for US folks at least).

 

Another recent change is that the booking life of future cruise certificates has been reduced. But, I can't remember the details.

 

 

Edited August 10, 2019 by Flatbush Flyer

[Hawaiidan]

49 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Well, "almost exactly." And, yes, folks should do the math based on the rules for their country.

 

What was missed in this equation is that Janet is from the U.K. (Just checked her profile) and that may be why she was able to choose separate vs extended cruise(s) just like Brits can get "ultimate" O Life, which is generally not available to U.S. passengers.

 

What has "recently" changed (at some point in 2018, what previously had been a "gray area" [as suggested above] finally became "set in stone") is that multisegment cruises marketed as extended voyages can no longer be booked as as a combination of individual cruises -each with its own booking number, at least for US folks (it happened about the same time as O Life perks were capped at $800 or 8 excursions per cabin (again, that's for US folks at least).

 

Another recent change is that the booking life of future cruise certificates has been reduced. But, I can't remember the details.

 

 

 

Question   do you or any one out there, know what the NEW  obc levels will be for Silver/ Gold ?

I had heard       that silver was reduced to $200 from $400    and gold likewise.     Now, as to the " prepaid Gratuity for silver an above,  I had heard that it was being capped at $250.00  max pp ( not cabin)   .  Anyone?    

[Flatbush Flyer]

36 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

 

Question   do you or any one out there, know what the NEW  obc levels will be for Silver/ Gold ?

I had heard       that silver was reduced to $200 from $400    and gold likewise.     Now, as to the " prepaid Gratuity for silver an above,  I had heard that it was being capped at $250.00  max pp ( not cabin)   .  Anyone?    

Yes to your points except that the in lieu grats recently was $250 per cabin for 18 days ( and it was the same for a 33 day cruise earlier this year. Invoices listed grats as "$125 per person." FWIW, that's a B veranda in each case).  Just got off Sirena in early July and will board Riviera in a few weeks. O Club SBC on original upcoming Invoice is listed as $200/person for silver. However, we are now gold. So I expect it will be corrected to $400/person once on board.

Edited August 10, 2019 by Flatbush Flyer

[Hawaiidan]

9 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Yes to your points except that the in lieu grats recently was $250 per cabin for 18 days ( and it was the same for a 30 day cruise earlier this year).  Just got off Sirena in early July and will board Riviera in a few weeks.

Thanks skipper.........so the free grats is now limited to$ 250per cabin... or $125 pp !!!  no matter the cruise.  So, its basically free gratuities for about 7 days pp  tops...

 I  recently booked a  10 day cruise as a silver  getting free gratuities as a silver  and was given a OBC credit of $250 because of that cruise was offered with free Gratuities.    So thats how they are doing it now.... any more scuttlebutt on the future ?   O wonder if it will come to pass that an 0 life option will now have a gratuities option.       Too  I have seen the "Air credits" get reduced way down to where its chicken feed from what it was.

Edited August 10, 2019 by Hawaiidan

[Flatbush Flyer]

12 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

Thanks skipper.........so the free grats is now limited to$ 250per cabin... or $125 pp !!!  no matter the cruise.  So, its basically free gratuities for about 7 days pp  tops...

 I  recently booked a  10 day cruise as a silver  getting free gratuities as a silver  and was given a OBC credit of $250 because of that cruise was offered with free Gratuities.    So thats how they are doing it now.... any more scuttlebutt on the future ?   O wonder if it will come to pass that an 0 life option will now have a gratuities option.       Too  I have seen the "Air credits" get reduced way down to where its chicken feed from what it was.

For folks who do bizclass, the only way to go is to take the credit. I spoke with several folks at the O air desk and confirmed that, is you want O bizclass air instead of provided economy, you are charged the entire bizclass tix price and not just the class difference. They even told me that DIY biz class is almost always the only way to go.

[Hawaiidan]

8 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

For folks who do bizclass, the only way to go is to take the credit. I spoke with several folks at the O air desk and confirmed that, is you want O bizclass air instead of provided economy, you are charged the entire bizclass tix price and not just the class difference. They even told me that DIY biz class is almost always the only way to go.

Yea.... now days  its crazy to not take Business class for any international  trip  ..except for the UAL flights SFO- LAX to Newark on the 787-10  which has the new Polaris Biz seats in the first 3 rows and selling as " economy plus !!!         I can  not imagine being in anything but a lie flat flying SYD- or MEL to LAX or SFO... 15.5 hours.......

[Flatbush Flyer]

31 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

Yea.... now days  its crazy to not take Business class for any international  trip  ..except for the UAL flights SFO- LAX to Newark on the 787-10  which has the new Polaris Biz seats in the first 3 rows and selling as " economy plus !!!         I can  not imagine being in anything but a lie flat flying SYD- or MEL to LAX or SFO... 15.5 hours.......

A few months ago, we did RT SFO London on United - bizclass with points/$$ upgrade on return but were waitlisted in departure. Paid for regular economy plus (legroom) outbound. But, two days prior to departure, seat map changed and we were in premium plus (no extra cost). It was comfortable and food/booze was good. However, no layflat seats. So, on a long haul Pacific non-stop flight, plan A is bizclass though points only United bizclass RT flights for two can now easily exceed 750k points!!!

Currently, we're using mostly connecting flights on Star Alliance partners for Pacific/Indian Ocean destinations (e.g., Philippine Air). 

[LHT28]

usually it is PPG for Silver & above if your TA  gives you PPG  then the O Club PPG is $250 per cabin extra SBC (unless you were Gold when they changed  the rules  then you may get the full $ value of the PPG)

We have gotten this amount for  any cruise length ..we have only 10 + days 

 

Someone who has a cruise booked after Nov 1st this year might  comment  if the rate  has changed

 Looks like  if your cruise is after Nov 1st  the loyalty SBC is

Silver is $250 obc  per cabin

Gold  is $400  per cabin

[Hawaiidan]

12 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

usually it is PPG for Silver & above if your TA  gives you PPG  then the O Club PPG is $250 per cabin extra SBC (unless you were Gold when they changed  the rules  then you may get the full $ value of the PPG)

We have gotten this amount for  any cruise length ..we have only 10 + days 

 

Someone who has a cruise booked after Nov 1st this year might  comment  if the rate  has changed

 

Thanks..... lots of changes coming in November thats why I booked several cruises in advance to be grand fathered in.....well  I hope....    O  is sitting like the Tar Baby, in Uncle Remus, and "aint saying nothing"

[Flatbush Flyer]

14 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

usually it is PPG for Silver & above if your TA  gives you PPG  then the O Club PPG is $250 per cabin extra SBC (unless you were Gold when they changed  the rules  then you may get the full $ value of the PPG)

We have gotten this amount for  any cruise length ..we have only 10 + days 

 

Someone who has a cruise booked after Nov 1st this year might  comment  if the rate  has changed

 

Interesting that you should ask. We've got a short CA Coast cruise in December 2019 (Sirena) with TA paid grats. The Oceania Invoice does list "in lieu O Club grats" but does not specify a dollar amount.

[Hawaiidan]

20 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

A few months ago, we did RT SFO London on United - bizclass with points/$$ upgrade on return but were waitlisted in departure. Paid for regular economy plus (legroom) outbound. But, two days prior to departure, seat map changed and we were in premium plus (no extra cost). It was comfortable and food/booze was good. However, no layflat seats. So, on a long haul Pacific non-stop flight, plan A is bizclass though points only United bizclass RT flights for two can now easily exceed 750k points!!!

Currently, we're using mostly connecting flights on Star Alliance partners for Pacific/Indian Ocean destinations (e.g., Philippine Air). 

several months ago I was able to snag  saver business  rt to SYD  for 160K     2 weeks later I checked and the new rate was 400K  !!!!            LA-EWR on the 787-10  business was going for 100K rt...  a few weeks ago... then jumped to  200K !!!       

[ORV]

1 hour ago, Hawaiidan said:

Thanks skipper.........so the free grats is now limited to$ 250per cabin... or $125 pp !!!  no matter the cruise.  So, its basically free gratuities for about 7 days pp  tops...

 I  recently booked a  10 day cruise as a silver  getting free gratuities as a silver  and was given a OBC credit of $250 because of that cruise was offered with free Gratuities.    So thats how they are doing it now.... any more scuttlebutt on the future ?   O wonder if it will come to pass that an 0 life option will now have a gratuities option.       Too  I have seen the "Air credits" get reduced way down to where its chicken feed from what it was.

Dan, when there are gratuities coming from a TA the amount you get if you are Silver has been capped at $250 per cabin for a few years. 

 

I'm not sure exactly what you are saying in the first two lines but if you are Silver and are receiving free grats for your cruise there is no cap on them. Let's say you're going 20 days in a suite which would be $46 a day x 20 days = $920. All of that would be paid. 

 

In the last printed material the Oceania club level for OBC for the Silver category was $250 and the gold $400. Platinum is $500. These are cabin amounts not per person.

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

Thanks..... lots of changes coming in November thats why I booked several cruises in advance to be grand fathered in.....well  I hope....    O  is sitting like the Tar Baby, in Uncle Remus, and "aint saying nothing"

Agree with "book now" strategy. We've got two more this year, three next year and one (so far) in 2021. Fortunately, we booked our upcoming Aug/Sept Southampton-Reykjavik-NYC before they capped the O Life at $800 or 8 tours per cabin. We have 8/person thanks to having booked long ago.

[ORV]

7 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Interesting that you should ask. We've got a short CA Coast cruise in December 2019 (Sirena) with TA paid grats. The Oceania Invoice does list "in lieu O Club grats" but does not specify a dollar amount.

I have a November cruise booked and it shows the "in lieu of" amounts as $125 per person. 

[Hawaiidan]

2 minutes ago, ORV said:

I have a November cruise booked and it shows the "in lieu of" amounts as $125 per person. 

The next move  will, I predict  be like Azamar  and roll the gratuities into the overall fare  and the free grats will fade into the sunset....

[LHT28]

29 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Interesting that you should ask. We've got a short CA Coast cruise in December 2019 (Sirena) with TA paid grats. The Oceania Invoice does list "in lieu O Club grats" but does not specify a dollar amount.

have you asked your TA

 My invoice  had the same info but my TA did tell me the  amount of the SBC

[Flatbush Flyer]

38 minutes ago, ORV said:

I have a November cruise booked and it shows the "in lieu of" amounts as $125 per person. 

That's what I've been seeing lately. Perhaps my December cruise doesn't have a dollar amount for the cited "in lieu" grats because there's been no decision on how much should be the "rugged good looks" bonus $.😎