What is this in Cruise Planner?

[jwindham]

I had a land tour last August before my Greek cruise and I got the best details from my TA who got them from the description she was sent by Oceania. Hopefully that will help you out. Julia

[Sebbiesgrammy]

12 hours ago, jwindham said:

I had a land tour last August before my Greek cruise and I got the best details from my TA who got them from the description she was sent by Oceania. Hopefully that will help you out. Julia

TA checked and was told that the land tour and hotel documents will arrive by email with the "final" docs and boarding passes. Makes me wonder (remember, I'm a newbie on O) about the value of sending out the expensive, glossy, cruise planner at all -- for the luggage tags???  Not logical.  But people do seem to like getting it.  The final, final docs are not expected until one week before cruise departure so at least I know. 

[LHT28]

5 hours ago, Sebbiesgrammy said:

 The final, final docs are not expected until one week before cruise departure so at least I know. 

Usually they come 3 wks prior   but  maybe with all the changes   they are later than normal

[Flatbush Flyer]

6 hours ago, Sebbiesgrammy said:

TA checked and was told that the land tour and hotel documents will arrive by email with the "final" docs and boarding passes. Makes me wonder (remember, I'm a newbie on O) about the value of sending out the expensive, glossy, cruise planner at all -- for the luggage tags???  Not logical.  But people do seem to like getting it.  The final, final docs are not expected until one week before cruise departure so at least I know. 

The “cruise planner” (a.k.a., the “Blue Book” because, pre-pandemic, the cover was all blue) is a long-standing O tradition that will not end anytime soon.

What’s not “logical” (at least, for folks concerned with unnecessarily expensive price tags), is O’s hotel programs. We occasionally stay at O’s named hotel for a cruise. But, we book it ourselves at approx. the same (or better) per room cost as O charges per person! And, the hotel concierge can arrange for airport pickup and cruise terminal transfer at a total package price far far below the O cost. Perhaps that insane profit is how O pays for the Blue Book.

Edited December 23, 2022 by Flatbush Flyer

[mauibabes]

How about the fact that it is a high quality keepsake of your fantastic cruise adventure,. Whether it is a once in a lifetime experience or like many, a first of things to come, it is something to share and enjoy the memories. I certainly did not know 15 years ago after our first Oceania cruise that we would be bitten by the Oceania cruise bug but it has been amazing.  Besides, our kids will have all those beautiful booklets to view and answer the question, “Where did our inheritance go?”  😇🛳️👍🙏

Enjoy,

Mauibabes

[Sebbiesgrammy]

18 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

The “cruise planner” (a.k.a., the “Blue Book” because, pre-pandemic, the cover was all blue) is a long-standing O tradition that will not end anytime soon.

What’s not “logical” (at least, for folks concerned with unnecessarily expensive price tags), is O’s hotel programs. We occasionally stay at O’s named hotel for a cruise. But, we book it ourselves at approx. the same (or better) per room cost as O charges per person! And, the hotel concierge can arrange for airport pickup and cruise terminal transfer at a total package price far far below the O cost. Perhaps that insane profit is how O pays for the Blue Book.

I totally agree with you about Is expensive hotel program so we booked our own pre cruise 4 days in Cape Town. But the 3 day Bangkok hotel tour was a good deal at $899/pp when the hotel is a Bonvoy 4 star.  I may be an O newbie, but I do my due diligence 😁

[pinotlover]

23 hours ago, mauibabes said:

How about the fact that it is a high quality keepsake of your fantastic cruise adventure,. Whether it is a once in a lifetime experience or like many, a first of things to come, it is something to share and enjoy the memories. I certainly did not know 15 years ago after our first Oceania cruise that we would be bitten by the Oceania cruise bug but it has been amazing.  Besides, our kids will have all those beautiful booklets to view and answer the question, “Where did our inheritance go?”  😇🛳️👍🙏

Enjoy,

Mauibabes

Adding insult to injury will be all the trash containers they are made to fill with all the (to them) junk glossies. They’ll all go into the trash along with the cruise ship trinkets handed out.

 

Personally trying to constantly de clutter and get rid of the stuff often as fast as it comes in the mail. The baggage tags go after the tour. I was still working when my parents died and it took me a couple years to go through all their memories and move them to the trash. Renting the storage space to store the junk, until I could go through it, was good money chasing bad. Hope not to do that to my kids. Don’t need more stuff!!! Oceania, save the money and stop the mailings. I don’t even mind picking up a baggage tag indicating cabin number at the ship.

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

 I don’t even mind picking up a baggage tag indicating cabin number at the ship.

Then you will be complaining about the line up to get the bag tags 😉

 

They could just send the bag tags  with your personal info page  some require  for boarding

 

I agree on the hoarding stuff

We moved last year  & the stuff I found after being in the same house for 39 yrs 😲

"  WTH  was I keeping this for "

[ORV]

19 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Then you will be complaining about the line up to get the bag tags 😉

 

They could just send the bag tags  with your personal info page  some require  for boarding

 

I agree on the hoarding stuff

We moved last year  & the stuff I found after being in the same house for 39 yrs 😲

"  WTH  was I keeping this for "

That's why I find it good to move every 10 years or so, cut down on that kind of stuff. 

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, ORV said:

That's why I find it good to move every 10 years or so, cut down on that kind of stuff. 

10 yrs might work better

we have moved twice in 6 mths   that is way too much for this old couple to deal with 🤣

[Thors Dad]

Flatbush Flyer   I appreciate your comment regarding the pre and post hotel costs offered thru Oceania.  We are taking a cruise that originates in Istanbul and ends in Lisbon.  When my travel agent quoted us the price per night of almost $800, I was shocked.  It's not even a Ritz Carlton category of hotel.  So I browsed the hotels website and found the per night charge to be in the $350 range.  It made me wonder if I was missing something or if the transfers between airport, hotel and ship were expensive.  Based on your comments, it just sounds like greed on Oceania's part.  Thanks.

[pinotlover]

1 hour ago, Thors Dad said:

Flatbush Flyer   I appreciate your comment regarding the pre and post hotel costs offered thru Oceania.  We are taking a cruise that originates in Istanbul and ends in Lisbon.  When my travel agent quoted us the price per night of almost $800, I was shocked.  It's not even a Ritz Carlton category of hotel.  So I browsed the hotels website and found the per night charge to be in the $350 range.  It made me wonder if I was missing something or if the transfers between airport, hotel and ship were expensive.  Based on your comments, it just sounds like greed on Oceania's part.  Thanks.

Greed is a bit harsh. Oceania is Ala carte . Pay for it if you want, DIY if you don’t. Just like their shore tours, they charge very high prices for those that don’t want to exert the effort to arrange their own. They offer you an option with a price. Their wines are the same. You can bring your own and pay $25 corkage or utilize the convenience of drinking theirs at 3-5X retail. It’s the reason some people choose all inclusive lines, they’d rather not know the price of convenience.

[ORV]

On 12/19/2022 at 7:51 PM, ORV said:

I was just looking through my booked cruise and under drink packages I found this. Specifically, what is the Prepaid Gratuities? Is this where you can pay for your daily grats? The problem with that is I'm in a standard room, and unless they've gone up while I wasn't paying attention, I think they're $16 a day, per person, not $18 a day. At least that's what the FAQ's say. Are they going up? I have to admit that I haven't paid grats in a long time so wasn't even aware this was on the website. But it really makes no sense that it's in with beverages. It is good to know that gratuity is included when you buy the gratuities. 🙃

 

Well, from information on a new thread today it looks like this COULD be the daily grats. 

[shepherd really]

On 12/19/2022 at 11:47 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

I just can’t fathom any other explanation other than a flat rate $18 daily tips deal. But, I’m thinking more along the lines of using it for a plan with better wines-by-the-bottle at $150 +\- along with the tasting events and even the new evening wine bar (on the O ships). Nonetheless, I agree that, just like the Prestige Package, you’d need to keep up a good pace to make it worthwhile.

 

Occam said to say hello.  They raised the gratuities to $18/day.

[Flatbush Flyer]

3 hours ago, shepherd really said:

Occam said to say hello. 

Interesting.  I had heard that Occam lost his position because he kept sacrificing accuracy by prioritizing simplicity. Not a very good way to manage a cruise ship department (or much else for that matter).

[shepherd really]

20 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Interesting.  I had heard that Occam lost his position because he kept sacrificing accuracy by prioritizing simplicity.

Really?  I heard it was because he made up narratives with no relation to the facts and then tried to deflect from being wrong by saying something asinine.   Maybe you know a different Occam.

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, shepherd really said:

Really?  I heard it was because he made up narratives with no relation to the facts and then tried to deflect from being wrong by saying something asinine.   Maybe you know a different Occam.

Details? Not important until they’re important. 
Happy New Year.