Question about OLife Choice

[marylovestotravel]

I know that OLife is presented as a package but, so far as I am aware, the air portion is calculated separately from the "OLife perks". Check with your travel agent on how much the cruise would be with airfare but without OLife. Or find out how much of a travel credit you will get if you take OLife but without the airfare included.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Mia

[Cruise Junky]

On ‎8‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 9:51 PM, donaldsc said:

 

I did do the math.  The difference between cruise only and the full package for the 2 of us was $3400.  I checked the airfare if I booked it myself and it was $3700 so I am $300 ahead here.  This does not count the $1400 OBC that I get w the package.  If I figured it right, I am $3700 ahead by taking the package.

 

I think that I did good.  

 

DON

 

Ok, let's do the math....I don't know which category you booked I I'm looking at a B2 for a comparison

 

Basic booking, no air, no perks $10,749 or $21,498 for two

With perks add $700 pp or $11,449 or $22,898 for two

With perks and air $12,499 or $24,998 for two

 

You are paying for your own perks, let's get that out of the way.  You pay $700 and get $700 back. Or switch for some tours.

 

Keep in mind when looking for air, if you want the Premium Economy you add $149 pp each way.  If you want to arrive the day before you cruise leaves or the day after or pick your own flights, that's going to cost you $175 pp. I also don't think Vegas is an included Hub so another $99. This all adds up to make being in control of your own air a much more viable option.

 

I also booked today, and absolutely took the cheapest price with no add ons. 

[Paulchili]

24 minutes ago, Cruise Junky said:

Ok, let's do the math

You get A+ in math 😀

[LHT28]

he is on Aug 26 2021

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/grand-voyage-cruises/istanbul-to-rome-NAU210826A/?sr=%2Fcruise-finder%2F%23sailDates%3D2021|08%23ships%3DNAU%23cruiseLengths%3DOverTwentyTwo

 

he said he did the math & it works for him 

Plus his TA gives him a kick back

[Cruise Junky]

12 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

he is on Aug 26 2021

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/grand-voyage-cruises/istanbul-to-rome-NAU210826A/?sr=%2Fcruise-finder%2F%23sailDates%3D2021|08%23ships%3DNAU%23cruiseLengths%3DOverTwentyTwo

 

he said he did the math & it works for him 

Plus his TA gives him a kick back

Yes, that's the cruise I did the math on. I think he needs to know about all the add ons for air before deciding if it works for him.

[Redtravel]

Olife is a great concept.  It works for most cruises.  Nice choices.  In many places, the including air is good. The included excursions vary. It depends on the port. Most are good.  A few were lacking.  Love the choices and being able to prebook.  On Caribbean cruises I do not tour. Either book cruise only or if Olife price is good, take a OBC.  

[citruscruiser]

Traveling as a single, OLife question: not interested in the shore excursion choice.

 

If I choose Beverage package, house select, does that use up my entire OLIfe, even though if there were two in a cabin there would be two beverage packages for the same amount of OLife?

 

 

[LHT28]

20 minutes ago, citruscruiser said:

Traveling as a single, OLife question: not interested in the shore excursion choice.

 

If I choose Beverage package, house select, does that use up my entire OLIfe, even though if there were two in a cabin there would be two beverage packages for the same amount of OLife?

 

 

If you can choose 1 O Life perk  then that is all you get

If there are 2 in a cabin they  have to choose the same  perk 

[Mura]

25 minutes ago, citruscruiser said:

Traveling as a single, OLife question: not interested in the shore excursion choice.

 

If I choose Beverage package, house select, does that use up my entire OLIfe, even though if there were two in a cabin there would be two beverage packages for the same amount of OLife?

 

 

I originally booked the April 2019 TA from NY to Southampton as a single.  Not being interested in the beverage package, I didn't opt for it.

 

BUT ... in looking at the original invoice i received in June 2018 they gave me $800 OBC (as opposed to $400pp) AND the full Spa credit for a suite.  (I had booked a PH on Marina.)  It looks like I hadn't requested the tours. Don't know if that would still apply!

 

My first reaction in looking at your question about taking the house beverage package as a single would that use up your entire oLife benefits was that no, they wouldn't ... but upon thinking about it, I think that is a question for a TA or Oceania itself. 

 

People booking as singles pay a lot more than couples do (on a PP basis).  Some of these questions should be directed not here, but to a TA or Oceania itself.  I am still surprised in looking at my original invoices (before I added a friend) that they were giving me the full OBC as if I were a couple.  Then again, I am gold status which COULD have been a factor.

 

In the end I had to cancel so who knows what I would have really received in the end.

 

Mura

 

[citruscruiser]

Thank you for the responses. I do have my TA making inquiries but sometimes other travelers have addressed the similar issue.  

 

And yes, I do pay double, but that is part of the cost of traveling!

[bbtondo]

10 hours ago, citruscruiser said:

Thank you for the responses. I do have my TA making inquiries but sometimes other travelers have addressed the similar issue.  

 

And yes, I do pay double, but that is part of the cost of traveling!

Wondering, if you are paying double anyway, have you ever invited  someone to join you?  

[Rosmerta]

I thought the same as the OP, due to the airfare being included, but thanks to this thread, I did the math. With OLife we’d have to take what we’re assigned flying to South America and home from Miami. But when I checked flying using our stash of CC points and miles, I found we could easily fly in business for a low level of points and from our home airport, without the OLife extra charge tacked on. Now I have to calculate the cost of the free internet and OBC, but as one-drink-a-day cruisers, I don’t think we’d run up a $800 bar bill.

[LHT28]

6 minutes ago, Rosmerta said:

I thought the same as the OP, due to the airfare being included, but thanks to this thread, I did the math. With OLife we’d have to take what we’re assigned flying to South America and home from Miami. But when I checked flying using our stash of CC points and miles, I found we could easily fly in business for a low level of points and from our home airport, without the OLife extra charge tacked on. Now I have to calculate the cost of the free internet and OBC, but as one-drink-a-day cruisers, I don’t think we’d run up a $800 bar bill.

The internet is free  for everyone  even those that take the cruise only fares

 

[Paulchili]

46 minutes ago, Rosmerta said:

With OLife we’d have to take what we’re assigned flying to South America and home from Miami

O Life has NOTHING to do with air. You can use your miles to fly (and get credit for the airfare) and still add (or not add) O Life to your cruise.

IMO, O Life is a good value when one chooses the excursion option. You pay $100/excursion in getting O Life but can get in return as much as $199/excursion in some cases - essentially doubling your benefit.

In your case choosing the drinks package makes no sense and choosing OBC as an option is an even exchange - you pay as much ahead of time as you will get back in OBC.

Edited August 27, 2019 by Paulchili

[LHT28]

24 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

In your case choosing the drinks package makes no sense and choosing OBC as an option is an even exchange - you pay as much ahead of time as you will get back in OBC.

I agree for the most part

if you do not get the  gratuities  included then maybe taking the OBC  part of O Life  would work for those people

Still everyone needs to  do the math for what works best for  them

JMO

 

[Paulchili]

34 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

if you do not get the  gratuities  included then maybe taking the OBC  part of O Life  would work for those people

But aren’t you just paying $300 to get those very same $300 back as OBC? 😀

 

[Rosmerta]

Thanks for the internet information. So does that mean that the airfare is not part of the O package but is included for everyone? Am I understanding correctly that the airfare credit would be applied to the cruise-only price?

 

 Thank you for pointing out the value of the excursion credit. We usually prefer private excursions. I wish I could see a sampling of the offerings at the 199-price.

 

O Life is $1,100 more, while the OBC is $800. Our gratuities will be a bit under that unless they are raised in the meantime. So if the airfare isn’t an O Life perk, but could in fact be credited...hmmm....

 

 

[Paulchili]

Rosmerta,

Here are your choices when booking an Oceania cruise:

• Cruise only - no air, no O Life. You get credit for not including air
• Cruise, air + O Life
• Cruise, air, no O Life
• Cruise, O Life but no air (get credit for it)

O Life costs $100 per included excursion more than no O Life - i.e. if your O Life gives you 8 included excursions, you will pay $800 more in your fare than if you did not choose O Life.

As for included O Life excursions - they do vary but most are over $100 and up to $199.

Any excursion that has letters associated with it (OE, OS, etc) are not included in O Life options and are usually more expensive.

Look up a cruise similar to your In the near future and check the available excursions to get an idea for excursions and prices on your cruise.

[LHT28]

31 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

But aren’t you just paying $300 to get those very same $300 back as OBC? 😀

 

It is pay me now or pay me later scenario 😉

 

[Paulchili]

4 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

It is pay me now or pay me later scenario 😉

 

I would prefer the “pay me never” scenario but since that is not one of the options, I will take later over now 😀

[sunlover12]

I agree with Paulchili that choosing the excursion option is the best option with OLife.  It's what we have done in the past and we feel like we got a good value.  We always choose the air credit so that we can make the air reservations on our own.  It's what works well for us.  

[LHT28]

8 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

Rosmerta,

Here are your choices when booking an Oceania cruise:

• Cruise only - no air, no O Life. You get credit for not including air
• Cruise, air + O Life
• Cruise, air, no O Life
• Cruise, O Life but no air (get credit for it)

O Life costs $100 per included excursion more than no O Life - i.e. if your O Life gives you 8 included excursions, you will pay $800 more in your fare than if you did not choose O Life.

As for included O Life excursions - they do vary but most are over $100 and up to $199.

Any excursion that has letters associated with it (OE, OS, etc) are not included in O Life options and are usually more expensive.

Look up a cruise similar to your In the near future and check the available excursions to get an idea for excursions and prices on your cruise.

Plus internet is included 1 account per cabin with 1 device at at time...  unless you are in a top suite 

no matter what choice you choose

[LHT28]

1 minute ago, Paulchili said:

I would prefer the “pay me never” scenario but since that is not one of the options, I will take later over now 😀

well we are lucky & do not have to pay  them but  some new to Oceania people do

 

As always YMMV 😉

[ORV]

I blame Oceania's marketing dept for the confusion, it's obviously working. 

 

Anyone new trying to figure this out, listen to Paul. 

[LHT28]

I wish they would just drop the  2 for 1  nonsense  & the O life 

many cruise lines have now jumped on the  add perks bandwagon..pick 4 ..pick 3  etc

too many choices

just give me the bottom line  so I can choose the cruise I want 😲

I am getting too old for all this math  c**p