Shore excursions under Simply More

[Tsunami74]

Has anyone had experience booking shore excursions under the new system?

Under O-Life I knew I could book a certain NUMBER of regular excursions.  Now it is an allowance of $.

Is it a good amount?

Can anyone give example of how many excursions they were able to book with the allowance?

I understand OE (Oceania Exclusive) and OS (Oceania Select) are included, but would choosing one of them take almost the whole allowance?

Just trying to get an idea of how much extra we would have to kick in to get either a cruise or private excursion in each port.

[Harters]

I've already answered the same queries for myself. Your best way forward is to call up the cruise you may be interested in, on O's website, and simply look at the excursions on offer. It will tell you how much your credit, per stateroom, is and all the excursions are priced. So, quite easy to  work out how far the credit will stretch.

 

For example, the cruise we're hoping to do has a $1000 credit. Which means I should be able to get four of the most basic excursions within that price. Obviously fewer if we picked an Exclusive" one.

 

But I do have a minor query which will not be an issue for most cruisers. The website available to me,  in the UK, prices the cruise and excursions in sterling, as I'd expect, but the credit is still offered in dollars. The query is what exchange rate applies here - the Interbank rate or some other vendor rate dreamt up by O to rip off its foreign customers?  

Edited August 2, 2023 by Harters

[pinotlover]

None of us know how all this will work out. Maybe in six months or so. SM totally changed everything. We boarded Vista and learned three ports had shortened port times. We boarded Marina to learn a port had been cancelled before we even sailed. Two more ports were later cancelled. Both of these incidents meant that either all or some O shorex had been cancelled. 
 

With OLife, a cancelled OLife tour, meant you could either book another one or you get $100 of OBC credit to your account. For me, that meant 4 corkage fees, or a nice bottle of wine, or multiple drinks in Martinis to spend the credit. 
 

Under SM, that actual tour dollar credit can only be used for other tours. Does one dare wait and spend most of the credit on a late port which might get cancelled? Is Oceania going to go back and credit your credit cards for all the tours you paid for, up to the unused credit amount? How long is that line At Customer Relations going to be near cruise end? I’m guessing a lot of people will be leaving the ship with tour credits remaining. A planned big tip or bonus for Oceania.

 

FWIW, my TA tells me they already have a pool going on how long the current system will last. Already a number of people spending OPM with no skin in the game. That is people booking up the most expensive tours with the credits. Then walking 3-4 months out at FP time. Bet is O will be forced to only allow credits used after final payment is made.

 

I can’t subscribe a plan currently. If O’s current history of dumping ports and shortening port times wasn’t so abusive, it would be easier. That isn’t the case.

[Vineyard View]

As a non excursion passenger, except certain locations, we are in the above category described. We booked two shore ex apiece and used the $1k credit. That said, we would likely have looked to what was offered in Tunisia regardless of SM credit. 
I would also think that those who are used to doing shore excursions, would likely continue to follow their patterns and try to book as many as they could. Or not. Maybe they will gravitate to higher cost excursions considering this ‘the bonus round’. 

[pinotlover]

8 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

As a non excursion passenger, except certain locations, we are in the above category described. We booked two shore ex apiece and used the $1k credit. That said, we would likely have looked to what was offered in Tunisia regardless of SM credit. 
I would also think that those who are used to doing shore excursions, would likely continue to follow their patterns and try to book as many as they could. Or not. Maybe they will gravitate to higher cost excursions considering this ‘the bonus round’. 

Do you have a game plan if Tunisia gets cancelled for any reason? Does O get to keep the credit?

[Vineyard View]

1 minute ago, pinotlover said:

Do you have a game plan if Tunisia gets cancelled for any reason? Does O get to keep the credit?

I have zero idea. Happy for suggestions! Oy

[pinotlover]

1 minute ago, Vineyard View said:

I have zero idea. Happy for suggestions! Oy

🥂 I have none. We have all our cruises booked through 2024 with the OLife package. Not converting any to SM. Maybe by 2025 people will have it figured out.

[LHT28]

37 minutes ago, Harters said:

But I do have a minor query which will not be an issue for most cruisers. The website available to me,  in the UK, prices the cruise and excursions in sterling, as I'd expect, but the credit is still offered in dollars. The query is what exchange rate applies here - the Interbank rate or some other vendor rate dreamt up by O to rip off its foreign customers?  

I would see if you can find a USA  site that has the tours in USD

If you get  the credit  in USD then the excursions will be taken in USD

 

Do you have the PDF file for you sailing?  I hope they would be in USD

 

We have our OBC listed  in CAD  but of course  it will be USD onboard  good thing my invoice lists the credits in USD

[Vineyard View]

13 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

🥂 I have none. We have all our cruises booked through 2024 with the OLife package. Not converting any to SM. Maybe by 2025 people will have it figured out.

Well, I honestly don’t either!  I don’t have the background all of you have with Oceania so this is a new adventure for me. Hoping it’s not a one and done. If you, or anyone,  comes up any recommendations or suggestions I am sure open to them. 

[basenji56]

1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

🥂 I have none. We have all our cruises booked through 2024 with the OLife package. Not converting any to SM. Maybe by 2025 people will have it figured out.

I always used OLife to buy the unlimited shore excursion package.  That option is no longer available even if you have OLife.  If this is important to anyone, you may want to check it out.  I booked my unlimited excursions for my cruises through the next year before this changed.

[pinotlover]

11 minutes ago, basenji56 said:

I always used OLife to buy the unlimited shore excursion package.  That option is no longer available even if you have OLife.  If this is important to anyone, you may want to check it out.  I booked my unlimited excursions for my cruises through the next year before this changed.

We only do O tours under duress, meaning nothing else is available. But thanks for the suggestion. 🥂

[basenji56]

1 minute ago, pinotlover said:

We only do O tours under duress, meaning nothing else is available. But thanks for the suggestion. 🥂

As you know, under the new program, you will be paying for them whether or not you use them.

[pinotlover]

22 minutes ago, basenji56 said:

As you know, under the new program, you will be paying for them whether or not you use them.

Will worry about it in 25. Will not convert any of my 24 cruises to SM.

 

Will have to see what the next release brings. If I’m traveling half way around the world to see a place we want to see, I’ll see it as I want to see and experience it. I certainly wouldn’t do less just to eat up a ship credit. In the great scheme of things that tour credit represents a small portion of the total vacation costs. Letting it trump our actions would be the tail wagging the dog! 

[Tsunami74]

3 hours ago, Harters said:

I've already answered the same queries for myself. Your best way forward is to call up the cruise you may be interested in, on O's website, and simply look at the excursions on offer. It will tell you how much your credit, per stateroom, is and all the excursions are priced. So, quite easy to  work out how far the credit will stretch.

 

For example, the cruise we're hoping to do has a $1000 credit. Which means I should be able to get four of the most basic excursions within that price. Obviously fewer if we picked an Exclusive" one.

 

But I do have a minor query which will not be an issue for most cruisers. The website available to me,  in the UK, prices the cruise and excursions in sterling, as I'd expect, but the credit is still offered in dollars. The query is what exchange rate applies here - the Interbank rate or some other vendor rate dreamt up by O to rip off its foreign customers?  

 I see you are from England. On my American site, it tells me this cruise has $800 credit, but when I go to view the excursions no price is listed.

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, Tsunami74 said:

 I see you are from England. On my American site, it tells me this cruise has $800 credit, but when I go to view the excursions no price is listed.

When is your cruise??

[Tsunami74]

41 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

When is your cruise??

September 2024

[babydrum]

5 hours ago, pinotlover said:

None of us know how all this will work out. Maybe in six months or so. SM totally changed everything. We boarded Vista and learned three ports had shortened port times. We boarded Marina to learn a port had been cancelled before we even sailed. Two more ports were later cancelled. Both of these incidents meant that either all or some O shorex had been cancelled. 
 

With OLife, a cancelled OLife tour, meant you could either book another one or you get $100 of OBC credit to your account. For me, that meant 4 corkage fees, or a nice bottle of wine, or multiple drinks in Martinis to spend the credit. 
 

Under SM, that actual tour dollar credit can only be used for other tours. Does one dare wait and spend most of the credit on a late port which might get cancelled? Is Oceania going to go back and credit your credit cards for all the tours you paid for, up to the unused credit amount? How long is that line At Customer Relations going to be near cruise end? I’m guessing a lot of people will be leaving the ship with tour credits remaining. A planned big tip or bonus for Oceania.

 

FWIW, my TA tells me they already have a pool going on how long the current system will last. Already a number of people spending OPM with no skin in the game. That is people booking up the most expensive tours with the credits. Then walking 3-4 months out at FP time. Bet is O will be forced to only allow credits used after final payment is made.

 

I can’t subscribe a plan currently. If O’s current history of dumping ports and shortening port times wasn’t so abusive, it would be easier. That isn’t the case.

I thought I understood it until I read your post.  You bring up some good points, particularly in terms of what happens to your credit if the port is cancelled.  I'm on a port intensive cruise in May that I know will probably lose at least 3 ports based on everything I'm reading.  I received 1800 shore credit for both of us and I booked 4 ship shore excursions.  The rest are private and I guess we'd just have to lose the credit if they cancelled the ports that I booked because I won't take a lesser tour just to use up ship credit.  I assumed they would give us shipboard credit before reading your post, but it makes sense that they won't since the credit is explicitly for shore excursions.

[Harters]

31 minutes ago, Tsunami74 said:

September 2024

Possibly too far ahead for prices to have been negotiated with the supplier. My cruise is in March. 

 

If your ports are included in an earlier cruise, you may well find the same excursions are priced there and it'll be sufficiently close for you to work things out, at least roughly. 

[pmatawan]

My cruise included 18 shore excursions under O life. I was able to book 24 excursions under simply more and had a little credit left.

[1985rz1]

1 hour ago, Tsunami74 said:

September 2024

Too far out to see prices.

[Tsunami74]

54 minutes ago, Harters said:

Possibly too far ahead for prices to have been negotiated with the supplier. My cruise is in March. 

 

If your ports are included in an earlier cruise, you may well find the same excursions are priced there and it'll be sufficiently close for you to work things out, at least roughly. 

Good idea, Harters.  Never thought to check same ports on different cruise (knowing there may be some increase.

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, Tsunami74 said:

September 2024

 too early

[Tsunami74]

4 hours ago, Harters said:

Possibly too far ahead for prices to have been negotiated with the supplier. My cruise is in March. 

 

If your ports are included in an earlier cruise, you may well find the same excursions are priced there and it'll be sufficiently close for you to work things out, at least roughly. 

Thank you Harters.

I found a similar cruise for this September, and all of the prices were there so I could check out most of the ports.

Gives me a good idea how far our allowance will go (for about 1/2)  Helpful to know for planning.

Great suggestion.

[Redtravel]

We were slightly put off at first. We liked Olife. However, when we actually booked excursions, it was easy.  We got $1000 credit.  You can pick any of the listed excursions. You are not limited to those under $200.  You can pick very expensive tours and get few tours. You can pick less expensive tours and get more tours. You have a choice. Also, if you book the specified number of tours to get the 25% discount, you may get more bang for your credits.  We found selecting excursions to be easy.  
The only thing that annoys me about Simply More excursion credits is that there are some cruises that I don’t want tours.  We usually do a winter Caribbean cruise.  We have taken many tours over the years. Now we go for the warmth.  There are some ports that we never get off.  Last winter on a 2 week cruise, we stayed on the ship in 4 ports.  There were lots of people who did the same.  We are booked on Vista cruise only for winter 2024.  Going forward with Simply More not selling cruise only, we will likely look for other vacation options that sell cruise only.  

[the more ports the better]

On 8/2/2023 at 12:17 PM, LHT28 said:

I would see if you can find a USA  site that has the tours in USD

If you get  the credit  in USD then the excursions will be taken in USD

 

Do you have the PDF file for you sailing?  I hope they would be in USD

 

We have our OBC listed  in CAD  but of course  it will be USD onboard  good thing my invoice lists the credits in USD

Lynn, you can download the Surfshark VPN app.  I think it’s $70 or so per year.  Any VPN will do.  It take a few seconds to download then you can tap on the city you want to show as your home.  In Ontario, you can tap on Chicago and the O website will show pricing as if you are in Chicago.  Then you can gauge whether the exchange rate is comparable to the bank rate.

 

I use this when we are out of the country and I need to look at US websites.  Actually, I keep it on always for privacy but that is another story.