Bronze to Silver no longer such a big deal

[MV21]

We are just a couple of cruises before we gain Silver status and were pleased to note that that would entitle us to complimentary gratuities. However, now with 'Simply More' (I can't do Oceania 'My Way' anymore 😔) it seems that the gratuities are priced or free if you believe the marketing, thereby making the shift to Silver a lot less appealing! Suppose I will have to drown my sorrows in the complimentary bottle of Oceania wine 😝

[basor]

8 minutes ago, MV21 said:

We are just a couple of cruises before we gain Silver status and were pleased to note that that would entitle us to complimentary gratuities. However, now with 'Simply More' (I can't do Oceania 'My Way' anymore 😔) it seems that the gratuities are priced or free if you believe the marketing, thereby making the shift to Silver a lot less appealing! Suppose I will have to drown my sorrows in the complimentary bottle of Oceania wine 😝

Gratuities are not included with SM - not sure where you got this idea....the change from OLife is that wine, beer and champagne are included during meals and you receive a certain amount of OBC to use for shore excursions,  The only choice is to have SM with air or without....please post the marketing showing gratuities are included with all sailings on SM

 

Edited January 26 by basor

[mauibabes]

PPG’s are always a winner, especially if on a longer cruise or you have gone for a PH when the rate is currently $23 pp, pd. 
Mauibabes

[MV21]

46 minutes ago, basor said:

Gratuities are not included with SM - not sure where you got this idea....the change from OLife is that wine, beer and champagne are included during meals and you receive a certain amount of OBC to use for shore excursions,  The only choice is to have SM with air or without....please post the marketing showing gratuities are included with all sailings on SM

 

This may be a UK thing but I've clicked on future Oceania cruises and they all seem to be showing 'Free' Gratuities.

 

Here are a couple of links:

 

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/mediterranean-cruises/istanbul-to-barcelona-VIS251109/?sr=%2Fcruise-finder%23ship%3DVIS%26sort%3Dfeatured%3Adesc%26page%3D11%26pageSize%3D10

xxx

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/mediterranean-cruises/barcelona-to-athens-VIS240711/?sr=%2Fcruise-finder%23ship%3DVIS%26sort%3Dfeatured%3Adesc%26page%3D1%26pageSize%3D10

 

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/mediterranean-cruises/athens-to-monte-carlo-VIS251003/?sr=%2Fcruise-finder%23ship%3DVIS%26sort%3Dfeatured%3Adesc%26page%3D11%26pageSize%3D10

 

 

[basor]

3 minutes ago, MV21 said:

This may be a UK thing but I've clicked on future Oceania cruises and they all seem to be showing 'Free' Gratuities.

 

Here are a couple of links:

 

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/mediterranean-cruises/istanbul-to-barcelona-VIS251109/?sr=%2Fcruise-finder%23ship%3DVIS%26sort%3Dfeatured%3Adesc%26page%3D11%26pageSize%3D10

xxx

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/mediterranean-cruises/barcelona-to-athens-VIS240711/?sr=%2Fcruise-finder%23ship%3DVIS%26sort%3Dfeatured%3Adesc%26page%3D1%26pageSize%3D10

 

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/mediterranean-cruises/athens-to-monte-carlo-VIS251003/?sr=%2Fcruise-finder%23ship%3DVIS%26sort%3Dfeatured%3Adesc%26page%3D11%26pageSize%3D10

 

 

It must be a UK thing because when I click on the links there is no mention of free gratuities

With simply MORE*, our new valuable offer, enjoy 2 for 1 Cruise Fares, Free Roundtrip Airfare and Airport Transfers* plus:

FREE $600 simply MORE Shore Excursion Credit
FREE Champagne, Wine & More
FREE Gourmet Specialty Dining
FREE Unlimited 

[MV21]

Yes must be a UK thing 😔

See attached:

 

[AMHuntFerry]

1 hour ago, MV21 said:

Yes must be a UK thing 😔

See attached:

 

It seems to have worked. The only cabins available this morning on the full-version (starting in Dubai) were some verandas. There was a large variety (Inside, OV, suites) two days ago.

[basenji56]

I know that some cruise lines "include" gratuities in the fare for some countries because the cruisers have historically asked to remove the gratuities from their account.  Definitely true for Australia.  May be true now for the UK.

 

[aussietwo]

So what actually happens is that the gratuities are actually included in the fare you pay.  Most Aussies would be happy about that. When you become an Oceania Silver Club member you then get US$125 Shipboard Cr in Lieu of Oceania Club PPG's per person.  
MV21 I suggest that you will get the same.  

[PhD-iva]

9 hours ago, MV21 said:

We are just a couple of cruises before we gain Silver status and were pleased to note that that would entitle us to complimentary gratuities. However, now with 'Simply More' (I can't do Oceania 'My Way' anymore 😔) it seems that the gratuities are priced or free if you believe the marketing, thereby making the shift to Silver a lot less appealing! Suppose I will have to drown my sorrows in the complimentary bottle of Oceania wine 😝

If you could modify your profile to include your country, that could help us to understand/advise you. Different countries have different policies…..

Enjoy your cruise!

[aussietwo]

UK it seems 

[Tranquility Base]

delete.

Edited January 27 by Tranquility Base

[Harters]

11 hours ago, basenji56 said:

Definitely true for Australia.  May be true now for the UK.

Absolutely correct. Within recent days, O has announced that gratuities will be incorporated into the cruise price for UK customers. It won't be any cheaper, of course, but it better reflects our tipping  culture which is very different from North America. I think (but am not sure) that is also to apply to other European customers. As mentioned, it's a benefit that's been there for some while for Australian and New Zealand customers.

 

The article I'd read in the trade press reflected consultations between O and our major cruise TAs, all of whom urged the change to reflect customer demand for inclusive pricing. I view it very, very positively. 

 

Further discussion on my earlier thread

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2983750-gratuities-to-be-included-with-simply-more-for-british-irish-cusotmers/#comment-66719190

 

Edited January 27 by Harters

[Vallesan]

48 minutes ago, Harters said:

Absolutely correct. Within recent days, O has announced that gratuities will be incorporated into the cruise price for UK customers. It won't be any cheaper, of course, but it better reflects our tipping  culture which is very different from North America. I think (but am not sure) that is also to apply to other European customers. As mentioned, it's a benefit that's been there for some while for Australian and New Zealand customers.

 

The article I'd read in the trade press reflected consultations between O and our major cruise TAs, all of whom urged the change to reflect customer demand for inclusive pricing. I view it very, very positively. 

 

Further discussion on my earlier thread

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2983750-gratuities-to-be-included-with-simply-more-for-british-irish-cusotmers/#comment-66719190

 

If this is the case and prices increase to include gratuities, as a silver member, it may just make Seabourn and Silversea prices more attractive. That is unless Oceania compensate silver + members with maybe an increase in OBC.

[Harters]

50 minutes ago, Vallesan said:

That is unless Oceania compensate silver + members with maybe an increase in OBC.

As noted at #9, Aussie & Kiwi customers get OBC in lieu of free gratuities, so I presume  this is what will happen for Europeans

[Vallesan]

15 minutes ago, Harters said:

As noted at #9, Aussie & Kiwi customers get OBC in lieu of free gratuities, so I presume  this is what will happen for Europeans

 Thanks. Let’s see if that does actually happen!

[Harters]

2 minutes ago, Vallesan said:

Let’s see if that does actually happen!

It would be very silly of O not to make it happen, for exactly the reason you suggest. It would make no sense to make what is a welcome change, yet deter loyal customers. 

[Vallesan]

2 minutes ago, Harters said:

It would be very silly of O not to make it happen, for exactly the reason you suggest. It would make no sense to make what is a welcome change, yet deter loyal customers. 

 
I agree. But … given some of the choices Oceania have made of late you start to wonder what their long term strategy is. Possibly the new CEO really is a broom that wants ‘sweep clean’ and put his own ‘stamp’ on things!

[Redtravel]

Oceania should include tips in the basic fare.  You are going to pay them.  Other cruise lines include them.  Perhaps Oceania is including tips in some markets to see if bookings change.  Simply More has changed the way I book.  I only consider Oceania on itineraries that have excursions that interest me.  Cruising business has become very competitive. Keeping tip out of the fare shows a reduced fare.  It may attract some people.

[ak1004]

I think Bronze to Silver was never a big deal. Each level is an incremental improvement that makes you feel good, but when you are paying $400-500 per day (more for PH), is an extra $18 really going to have a material impact on your decision?

 

In fact, I would argue that even a free cruise after 20 cruises is not a big deal - it's basically like applying a 5% discount on all previous cruises. I cruise on a line because I like it, not for the loyalty perks. Just ask Celebrity loyalists who found out after 20 years that their loyalty perks have been dramatically devaluated.

 

Personally I will never book a cruise just to reach certain level of loyalty, but that's just me. No loyalty for me. We sailed on 12 different lines and will continue booking different lines based on the value we get.

[Vallesan]

19 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

I think Bronze to Silver was never a big deal. Each level is an incremental improvement that makes you feel good, but when you are paying $400-500 per day (more for PH), is an extra $18 really going to have a material impact on your decision?

 

In fact, I would argue that even a free cruise after 20 cruises is not a big deal - it's basically like applying a 5% discount on all previous cruises. I cruise on a line because I like it, not for the loyalty perks. Just ask Celebrity loyalists who found out after 20 years that their loyalty perks have been dramatically devaluated.

 

Personally I will never book a cruise just to reach certain level of loyalty, but that's just me. No loyalty for me. We sailed on 12 different lines and will continue booking different lines based on the value we get.

You are probably right about the Oceania perks. Guess it’s just a psychological thing!

 

Yes we also only sail a few lines, but far fewer than you because we only sail on small/ish ships. In fact we are doing our smallest in April, Seabourn Quest just 450, but the ship is an actually few thousand tons larger than the ‘R’ class ships, so the comparison will be interesting.

[MV21]

4 hours ago, Harters said:

As noted at #9, Aussie & Kiwi customers get OBC in lieu of free gratuities, so I presume  this is what will happen for Europeans

Remember that under the 'old' (or yet to be updated) loyalty structure one received an in crease of OBC from $100 to $250.  If Oceania are going to compensate cruisers who now pay the gratuities in the fare, (nothing is really free) I would hope that achieving Silver gets a relative increse to the OBC to compensate for the lack of the perk of 'free' gratuities.

 

Also, I entirely agree with the poster who warns against 'chasing' loyalty tiers as that is rarely cost effective. However, if you were going to book anyway it's wise to squeeze the value if possible.

[ak1004]

4 minutes ago, Vallesan said:

You are probably right about the Oceania perks. Guess it’s just a psychological thing!

 

Yes we also only sail a few lines, but far fewer than you because we only sail on small/ish ships. In fact we are doing our smallest in April, Seabourn Quest just 450, but the ship is an actually few thousand tons larger than the ‘R’ class ships, so the comparison will be interesting.

 

Well, we started with lines like Costa and Carnival, then "upgraded" to Celebrity, Princess and HAL, but in the last 5 years it's small ships only. Not going back to big ships. Funny you mentioned Seabourn Quest - we will be on it in September, our 13th line. But our smallest ship was Uniworld, 130 guests (and only 87 on our sailing). 

 

But yes, this is why I'm not a big fan of R ships. 700 guests on a 30 ton ship is a bit too high, give you space ratio closer to mainstream ships. The Quest has one of the highest space ratios in the industry.

[Vallesan]

44 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

 

Well, we started with lines like Costa and Carnival, then "upgraded" to Celebrity, Princess and HAL, but in the last 5 years it's small ships only. Not going back to big ships. Funny you mentioned Seabourn Quest - we will be on it in September, our 13th line. But our smallest ship was Uniworld, 130 guests (and only 87 on our sailing). 

 

But yes, this is why I'm not a big fan of R ships. 700 guests on a 30 ton ship is a bit too high, give you space ratio closer to mainstream ships. The Quest has one of the highest space ratios in the industry.

Interesting cruising history!

 

Our first cruise, with Fred Olsen, was our honeymoon in 1969, did I really just write that!! Then we did another cruise and stay with them in 1971.

 

We didn’t cruise again until 2015 when we took a Riviera cruise. Since then we’ve sailed mainly Oceania both sized ships, Regent, which we didn’t like, Seabourn a few times and Silversea once. I loved them all, but all for different reasons. If the same itinerary was offered at the same price by all three lines my choices would be: joint no:1 Seabourn and Silversea and third Oceania. But, it’s never that simple so we have to decide what’s most important to us individually.

 

I’m guessing your Uniworld was a river cruise so not really comparable.

 

I must admit I do/did like the ‘R’ ships but only in a PH. On the ‘O’ class we can take a balcony. I think ‘R’ PH no longer offer the same value compared to Seabourn and Silversea. 
 

Really looking forward to the Quest although, when we booked it, I hadn’t realised its size, capacity and age compared with the ‘R’ class ships. Thinking this might just be our ‘go to’ ship in the future!

[FeliciaLee]

1 hour ago, Vallesan said:

Really looking forward to the Quest although, when we booked it, I hadn’t realised its size, capacity and age compared with the ‘R’ class ships. Thinking this might just be our ‘go to’ ship in the future!

The only place we really felt the difference in space per passenger was in the cabin. Since you know you already love Seabourn, certainly you'll have an awesome time!