OLife moves to "all in"

[basor]

6 minutes ago, grifdoglover said:

Just noticed a lot of cruises being diverted.  Hopefully will be better by then.

Can you please share the link where cruise ships are being diverted from  transiting the canal...TIA. I am unable to find any direct information on this.  We are on the inaugural Panama Canal on Vista the beginning of NOV so I have been watching,

Edited June 16, 2023 by basor

[Rainbow3fe]

38 minutes ago, zalusky said:

I am trying to understand the drink enhancements if you want to call them that.  It says "with lunch and dinner".  Does that mean you pay for basic cocktails in a lounge outside of the lunch/dinner venues?

Yes. I believe it has the same rules as the old alcohol package. 

I have a question. Does anyone think you could order a Pina Colada "at lunch" and take it to the pool deck? That's really the only place where I indulge in a daytime beverage. 😄

[LHT28]

12 minutes ago, Rainbow3fe said:

I have a question. Does anyone think you could order a Pina Colada "at lunch" and take it to the pool deck? That's really the only place where I indulge in a daytime beverage. 😄

Sure you can  you will be paying for it anyway  it is not included in the Beer/wine  deal

[Rainbow3fe]

13 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Sure you can  you will be paying for it anyway  it is not included in the Beer/wine  deal

The initial paperwork says beer, wine and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. My question remains, "will we be able to take it with us?"

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 hours ago, Rainbow3fe said:

Thanks, Flatbush Flyer. We can always count on you for good information. 

As any geezer originally from Brooklyn would say: FUGGEDABOUTIT!😎

[basor]

3 minutes ago, Rainbow3fe said:

The initial paperwork says beer, wine and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. My question remains, "will we be able to take it with us?"

Take your glass of wine or beer out of the dining venue?  I assume if you have not finished, you could carry it to the pool....since mixed drinks are not part of the included package, that is not relevant.

[1985rz1]

16 minutes ago, Rainbow3fe said:

The initial paperwork says beer, wine and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. My question remains, "will we be able to take it with us?"

If the SimplyMore's included drinks with lunch and dinner is the same as the OLife House Select, as has been posted by several Travel Agencies only wine, beer and champagne are free; alcoholic drinks are not free but are available as selections.  Of course these are reports from several different travel agencies that attended the webinar, not an official O announcement.  We should have confirmation from O on July 1

 

As for taking any drink that is limited to lunch and dinner to another non-restaurant menu...well, if ordered with you meal one one thing; ordering the drink as a stand alone is another...

[PSR]

27 minutes ago, basor said:

Take your glass of wine or beer out of the dining venue?  I assume if you have not finished, you could carry it to the pool....since mixed drinks are not part of the included package, that is not relevant.

 

This passage is from the attachment to an earlier post (I believe #291 or so) that describes the possible new lunch/dinner package and mentions alcoholic drinks other than beer and wine:

 

 

 

PS- Now I am really confused; I guess we DO have to wait for the "real" rules...

 

Edited June 16, 2023 by PSR

[osandomir]

2 hours ago, LHT28 said:

 

I get the feeling that Oceania is trying to cater to those with 6 figure incomes & cruise  5-6 mths out of the year

We love the O product  but one has to draw the line somewhere  & this new deal may be the line in the sand for us

JMO

Will see is 2 wks  what the real deal is  & go from there

I always felt that 6 figure income is a bare minimum for those who would like to cruise with Oceania or many other cruise lines if that matters. Now it’s even more important to find what fits in one’s budget.

[1985rz1]

8 minutes ago, PSR said:

 

This passage is from the attachment to an earlier post (I believe #291 or so) that describes the possible new lunch/dinner package and mentions alcoholic drinks other than beer and wine:

 

 

 

PS- Now I am really confused; I guess we DO have to wait for the "real" rules...

 

The problem is that: 

.... with over 30 alcoholic and non-alcoholic choices for lunch and dinner. 

is not compatible with: 

...Comparable to what you think of now as House Select Beverage Package. 

 

[Tranquility Base]

Having never selected the basic drinks package as an option and as this will soon be included for all, I have a question for those who have selected this option in the past.

 

Was the quality of the wines previously offered on the basic package during lunch & dinner generally satisfactory ?

[hmorrow]

5 minutes ago, Tranquility Base said:

Having never selected the basic drinks package as an option and as this will soon be included for all, I have a question for those who have selected this option in the past.

 

Was the quality of the wines previously offered on the basic package during lunch & dinner generally satisfactory ?

Yes 

[PSR]

3 minutes ago, hmorrow said:

Yes 

 

Agree.

[basor]

11 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

The problem is that: 

.... with over 30 alcoholic and non-alcoholic choices for lunch and dinner. 

is not compatible with: 

...Comparable to what you think of now as House Select Beverage Package. 

 

Wine and beer are alcoholic drinks last I checked - just indicating that there will be lots of different choices of wine and beer not a limited menu

[cruisemom42]

11 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

The problem is that: 

.... with over 30 alcoholic and non-alcoholic choices for lunch and dinner. 

is not compatible with: 

...Comparable to what you think of now as House Select Beverage Package. 

 

 

If they are truly saying alcoholic AND non-alcoholic choices, I don't think it would be hard to get up to 30 without including liquor:  a couple of sparkling wines, several reds, several whites, a rose, 6-7 beers, 6-7 sodas, sparking or still waters, etc....

[PSR]

16 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

The problem is that: 

.... with over 30 alcoholic and non-alcoholic choices for lunch and dinner. 

is not compatible with: 

...Comparable to what you think of now as House Select Beverage Package. 

 

 

You are correct on that one...that "comparable" description is not true of the old plan. Otherwise we would not have to upgrade. We usually only have one cocktail drink before (could be with) and one cocktail drink after dinner (could be with, also).

Edited June 17, 2023 by PSR

[osandomir]

12 minutes ago, Tranquility Base said:

Having never selected the basic drinks package as an option and as this will soon be included for all, I have a question for those who have selected this option in the past.

 

Was the quality of the wines previously offered on the basic package during lunch & dinner generally satisfactory ?

As an example, on our last cruise in April Wente Cabernet Sauvignon from California was offered. It’s not an expensive wine from the grapes similar to some regions of Bordeaux. I think it was a good choice and it was well received by many.

[1985rz1]

8 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

If they are truly saying alcoholic AND non-alcoholic choices, I don't think it would be hard to get up to 30 without including liquor:  a couple of sparkling wines, several reds, several whites, a rose, 6-7 beers, 6-7 sodas, sparking or still waters, etc....

 

7 minutes ago, PSR said:

 

You are correct on that one...that "comparable" description is not true of the old plan. Otherwise we would not have to upgrade. We usually only have one cocktail drink before (could be with) and one cocktail drink after dinner (could be with, also).

 

9 minutes ago, basor said:

Wine and beer are alcoholic drinks last I checked - just indicating that there will be lots of different choices of wine and beer not a limited menu

I think that @basor and @cruisemom42 comments are spot on.  But it seems some folks want to expand the interpretation to include spirits, which is not what is meant.  Perhaps I misunderstood those folks.

Edited June 17, 2023 by 1985rz1

[Rainbow3fe]

16 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

If they are truly saying alcoholic AND non-alcoholic choices, I don't think it would be hard to get up to 30 without including liquor:  a couple of sparkling wines, several reds, several whites, a rose, 6-7 beers, 6-7 sodas, sparking or still waters, etc....

Not an accurate assessment.  The water, sparkling water and sodas are always included on Oceania.  They have added new non-alcoholic drinks to the bar menus.  I read it as "The 30 are in addition to  the beer, champagne,  reds and whites. "

[GeezerCouple]

 

From Post 269 above, about what's in the SimplyMore:

 

"...All simplyMORE bookings include a shore excursion credit. There will be a group of excursions to choose from using your credit. Unlike Olife, with simplyMORE you can choose to apply your credit to any excursion...."

[emphasis added]

 

"There will be A GROUP OF EXCURSIONS TO CHOOSE FROM"

or

"you can choose to apply your credit to ANY excursion"

?

 

This likely won't affect us, as we so rarely do any cruise excursions (any line, any ship), but for general information, is there going to be a special "group" of eligible excursions available, or is it "any excursion"?  Those could be very different...

 

I'm annoyed by the ambiguity/confusion this wording generates, regardless of the actual meaning.  Why can't Oceania spit it out once, with the correct and unambiguous wording?

 

GC

 

[basor]

2 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

From Post 269 above, about what's in the SimplyMore:

 

"...All simplyMORE bookings include a shore excursion credit. There will be a group of excursions to choose from using your credit. Unlike Olife, with simplyMORE you can choose to apply your credit to any excursion...."

[emphasis added]

 

"There will be A GROUP OF EXCURSIONS TO CHOOSE FROM"

or

"you can choose to apply your credit to ANY excursion"

?

 

This likely won't affect us, as we so rarely do any cruise excursions (any line, any ship), but for general information, is there going to be a special "group" of eligible excursions available, or is it "any excursion"?  Those could be very different...

 

I'm annoyed by the ambiguity/confusion this wording generates, regardless of the actual meaning.  Why can't Oceania spit it out once, with the correct and unambiguous wording?

 

GC

 

They are indicating that it is not like other cruise lines where you have a choice of 1 and sometimes 2 excursions to choose from but there is the group of excursions offered at each port and you can choose any of those and apply the credit....

[Woofa]

Lets all remember as well that this has not yet been released to the public.  Certainly they must have known that this would leak but lets be real, the amount of people here, even on this lengthy thread is a small portion of O cruisers.  The average O cruiser has no idea this is coming.  I know we want answers to all of our questions but O is playing this one close to the vest for now.  Even after July 1 we will not really have all of the answers until a few cruises have sailed with the new system.  That will be in October.  

[Hanoj]

37 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

From Post 269 above, about what's in the SimplyMore:

 

"...All simplyMORE bookings include a shore excursion credit. There will be a group of excursions to choose from using your credit. Unlike Olife, with simplyMORE you can choose to apply your credit to any excursion...."

[emphasis added]

 

"There will be A GROUP OF EXCURSIONS TO CHOOSE FROM"

or

"you can choose to apply your credit to ANY excursion"

?

 

This likely won't affect us, as we so rarely do any cruise excursions (any line, any ship), but for general information, is there going to be a special "group" of eligible excursions available, or is it "any excursion"?  Those could be very different...

 

I'm annoyed by the ambiguity/confusion this wording generates, regardless of the actual meaning.  Why can't Oceania spit it out once, with the correct and unambiguous wording?

 

GC

 

“Patience, young grasshopper.”

 

Oceania hasn’t announced anything yet. They had a webinar with many representatives of their top producing travel agencies and “leaked” some information about their planned changes July 1. The text we have read in this thread with details of the new simply more program are attributed to notes taken by TA’s who attended the webinar. It’s possible that management may tweak its planned changes before they are rolled out. 

[GeezerCouple]

10 minutes ago, Hanoj said:

“Patience, young grasshopper.”

 

Oceania hasn’t announced anything yet. They had a webinar with many representatives of their top producing travel agencies and “leaked” some information about their planned changes July 1. The text we have read in this thread with details of the new simply more program are attributed to notes taken by TA’s who attended the webinar. It’s possible that management may tweak its planned changes before they are rolled out. 

 

Many thanks for the "young"!  😀

 

GC

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, 1985rz1 said:

The problem is that: 

.... with over 30 alcoholic and non-alcoholic choices for lunch and dinner. 

is not compatible with: 

...Comparable to what you think of now as House Select Beverage Package. 

 

So, the traditional wine-by-the-glass list with 12-15 mediocre items and a handful of unthrilling beers, will be expanded to include a few more losers and some non-alcoholic items. It’ll still be the “house select package.”