Blue Book

[seachelt]

We wil be on Oceania Riviera in 11 days. No sign yet of "blue book" or luggage tags. I requested our TA to ask for tags today from O, who said we should have got them some time ago with our Booklet.

What are we missing besides our luggage tags? Our TA isn't any help, doesn't seem to know Oceania. (I have booked our next cruise through an O specialist), but that doesn't help me today!

Should I try to pursue my booklet through O, or is it not worth it anyway?

Thanks for any information!

Seachelt

[LHT28]

5 minutes ago, seachelt said:

We wil be on Oceania Riviera in 11 days. No sign yet of "blue book" or luggage tags. I requested our TA to ask for tags today from O, who said we should have got them some time ago with our Booklet.

What are we missing besides our luggage tags? Our TA isn't any help, doesn't seem to know Oceania. (I have booked our next cruise through an O specialist), but that doesn't help me today!

Should I try to pursue my booklet through O, or is it not worth it anyway?

Thanks for any information!

Seachelt

The booklet  is like  a brochure ..maybe you tossed it out  not knowing or your TA did not pass it on to you

 depends on how they set up the delivery

 

 You usually  need the personal document page 2 or 4  at some ports but if you get the FINAL DOCUMENT email 2-3 wks prior with port info etc  print that off

 

You probably will be able to get tags at the port  where  you check your bags from the porter  so I would not worry

Enjoy the cruise

[SEASwim]

I just received mine less than two weeks out from my cruise, so I wouldn't panic yet, especially considering it needs to go to Canada. The mail hasn't exactly been speedy lately!

[mountain grandma]

We’re sailing on the same cruise in 11 days and haven’t gotten the “blue book “ either.  This is later than normal but with the last minute change from Istanbul to Athens, not surprising.  It should come anytime!  🤞🤞🤞

 

Billie

[Flatbush Flyer]

27 minutes ago, mountain grandma said:

We’re sailing on the same cruise in 11 days and haven’t gotten the “blue book “ either.  This is later than normal but with the last minute change from Istanbul to Athens, not surprising.  It should come anytime!  🤞🤞🤞

 

Billie

These books are printed at least a month or two before embarkation (which is one of the reasons they no longer have pix and info about the senior officers and personnel (too much can change during that time).

They usually come direct from O’s printer or via your TA (who may add other stuff). I’ve heard that some unfamiliar TAs don’t follow through with the forwarding.
In any case, you should also receive emailed “final docs” (again, direct or via the TA) that include your guest registration etc. This serves the same purpose as the couple of important pages in the “blue book.”
 

In the worst case scenario, you could also bring your final O invoice showing no balance due.

 

The only other essential items are the printed luggage tags. 
While you can get tags at the port when you hand the luggage over, you can also call O and ask for blanks to be mailed to you  (as long as you have a fully paid cruise with upcoming embarkation). But remember that they’re coming from Swamplandia and can take some time to get to you in a different area.

FWIW, someone here on CC created a printable template for blank O tags. But that was years ago.
 

Edited October 8, 2021 by Flatbush Flyer

[Roccaforte]

We never received our Blue Book for one of our Riviera cruises.  When I called O to request a replacement they told me there would be a $25 charge because they use an outside contractor to print the books.  O sends them the passenger list and addresses and at that time the books were being sent second class mail.  If you’ve moved it won’t be forwarded even if your post office has your new address.  Instead O mailed us luggage tags which were not personalized but they worked fine.  The porters at the dock have tags and will gladly help you with them.  We received our final boarding e-mail about two weeks prior to cruising.  This really provided everything we needed for check in.  Be sure to bring this with you.  Some ports require it for entry.  We haven’t sailed since the pandemic so I’m not sure what else may be required.  I’m sure you’ll be advised in your final e-mail.  I hope your Blue Book comes.  It’s very nice and personalized.  Happy sailing🛳🛳🛳

[pinotlover]

To get into the port itself, in Athens, you must have some documentation showing your are on a specific cruise and  the time of your boarding. Athens is not like many ports where one can just walk/ drive up to the ship. 
 

Even if you can’t get the Blue Book, have Oceania email you a document showing your Embarkment Date and Time. The Gate Guards check all vehicles, especially taxis, ensuring proper documentation. The ship is quite a distance from that gate. Don’t try to enter before your designated time. The gate guards will turn your taxi around.

[SEASwim]

12 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

These books are printed at least a month or two before embarkation

I have a feeling they may have shrunk down the lead time due to all the port changes, etc. due to COVID and that may be why people are receiving them later than usual. For example mine shows the current itinerary even though there have been three changes in the last couple months.

[patty1955]

We got ours for our Oct 16th sailing a few days ago. The printing date is Sept. 3. It's a nice little keepsake but since we upgraded our cabin, it's not accurate. 

[seachelt]

Thanks everyone for your replies. We have most of what we need except tags so we will be okay. We have the O transfer from Athens airport to pier, so that will be an issue we don't have to worry about.

We were offered an upsell today but didn't take it.

See you on board Billie.  Indeed🤞🤞🤞

[VAisforcruising]

When I spoke to my Oceania TA earlier today about something else, he mentioned to me that luggage tags (and i guess the blue book you are mentioning) would come later than usual due to pandemic and continual changes. He said I should get package around 7-10 days prior to sail date. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, va_cruiser921 said:

When I spoke to my Oceania TA earlier today about something else, he mentioned to me that luggage tags (and i guess the blue book you are mentioning) would come later than usual due to pandemic and continual changes. He said I should get package around 7-10 days prior to sail date. 

Of course, the one continuing downside of the “blue book” will only be made worse with delay. Many of its pages are devoted to describing the excursions for that cruise. So, by the time you get it, all the good ones will have been booked weeks to months before.

[NYHartChapp]

On 10/7/2021 at 10:35 PM, seachelt said:

We wil be on Oceania Riviera in 11 days. No sign yet of "blue book" or luggage tags. I requested our TA to ask for tags today from O, who said we should have got them some time ago with our Booklet.

What are we missing besides our luggage tags? Our TA isn't any help, doesn't seem to know Oceania. (I have booked our next cruise through an O specialist), but that doesn't help me today!

Should I try to pursue my booklet through O, or is it not worth it anyway?

Thanks for any information!

Seachelt

First time Oceania cruiser here and I also am a bit confused about the Blue Book...on all of our other cruises, I've been able to print out boarding passes, luggage tags, itinerary, specialty restaurant reservations, etc. directly from the cruise line's website.  That's not the case with Oceania?  We're on Riviera 12/3, less than a month out.

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 hours ago, NYHartChapp said:

First time Oceania cruiser here and I also am a bit confused about the Blue Book...on all of our other cruises, I've been able to print out boarding passes, luggage tags, itinerary, specialty restaurant reservations, etc. directly from the cruise line's website.  That's not the case with Oceania?  We're on Riviera 12/3, less than a month out.

You certainly can print a list of your excursion purchases from your O web account and you receive printable email confirmations of your restaurant reservations. The new guest registration process within the web account (as embarkation approaches) provides a type of “boarding pass” now required.

In any case, you also will receive a “final docs” email within a few weeks of embarkation and it will include a summary of tours, restaurant reservations, et al. as well as confirmation of embarkation info.

As for the Blue Book, though it to includes a couple of pages with your personal info and embarkation specifics as well as O policies and “fine print.” it’s pretty much a souvenir since you’ve probably already booked the tours  they are listed in it.

As for the luggage tags: I prefer having them sent. They are regular sturdy self-stick airline types. So, no need to print, cut, use a tag holder, etc 

And, if you want to ease your angst (not having received your blue book with the tags within 2 weeks of the cruise, call O and ask for blanks. Only problem there is the time it takes for the snail Mail to get to you from Swamplandia. 
And porters at the port will have generic blanks to fill out if all else fails.

All that said, we still do bring a hard copy of our “final paid” O invoice and our TAs invoice showing any of their added perks as well as the final docs assembled beforehand.

[jwindham]

4 hours ago, NYHartChapp said:

First time Oceania cruiser here and I also am a bit confused about the Blue Book...on all of our other cruises, I've been able to print out boarding passes, luggage tags, itinerary, specialty restaurant reservations, etc. directly from the cruise line's website.  That's not the case with Oceania?  We're on Riviera 12/3, less than a month out.

I am on this same cruise and you cannot do your on line check in until 21 days out. After you finish that you can print your boarding pass. That should be end of next week. 

 

As noted above you get email confirmations about specialty restaurants when you book them as well as emails for any excursions you might have booked ahead of time. I too am waiting for the Blue Book that should have my luggage tags but if it does not come will get some at the port from the porters. Easy and have done that before when we had a guaranty cabin so did not know what it was until 5 days before sailing. Look forward to seeing you on board. Julia

[basor]

5 hours ago, NYHartChapp said:

First time Oceania cruiser here and I also am a bit confused about the Blue Book...on all of our other cruises, I've been able to print out boarding passes, luggage tags, itinerary, specialty restaurant reservations, etc. directly from the cruise line's website.  That's not the case with Oceania?  We're on Riviera 12/3, less than a month out.

We are sailing on the 09NOV Marina and received our "Blue Book" yesterday (West Coast) and friends on same sailing that live on East Coast received their Blue Book last Saturday......plan on seeing your book 6-9 days prior to departure....

[Lorna Doone]

I spoke to Oceania last week and they said they are mailing out 7-10 days before departure.  

[BrocktonCruiser]

We are sailing Riviera on Nov. 17th. The Blue Book arrived this morning, Nov. 6th.