Os loyalty program.

[jonthomas]

So a survey had a big impact in eliminating SM.

 

A bone was thrown in to quiet the dog.

 

The bone - included gratuities. 

 

A very small bone, that has quieted no one.

 

This, has downgraded a loyalty perk, significantly. 

 

What I have heard from many that have sailed O for a long time is that O has been downgrading the loyalty perks for a long time now.

 

Not a smart move, when you see how many are interested in other lines and other experiences.

 

We are new to O, unfortunately sailing over 50 cruises on other lines. Others had always convinced us that O was overpriced. Since covid we have done 10, O cruises and now have found our line of choice.

Others here say, who cares about loyalty. We care, since we have our line of choice and don't wish to experiment with others.

It is hoped that O will take a good look at the loyalty program soon and show how they value their repeat clients with a substantial positive change.

[pinotlover]

Silvers had PPG before, they have it now. What was lost? In fact, we might have a gain. Now, under SL, we get the extra $250 on every cruise. Before it was only on those diminishing number of cruises our TA had OCCAP perks from Oceania.
 

I think some here would cry if O changed the free cruise perk to 15 cruises instead of 20. Cty that it devalues their Platinum status. 🙄

[ORV]

In the 15 years I’ve been on O there has been one change to the Loyalty perks. It resulted in a net loss to the customer. Be careful what you ask for. 

[Benita]

Just now, pinotlover said:

Silvers had PPG before, they have it now. What was lost? In fact, we might have a gain. Now, under SL, we get the extra $250 on every cruise. Before it was only on those diminishing number of cruises our TA had OCCAP perks from Oceania.
 

I think some here would cry if O changed the free cruise perk to 15 cruises instead of 20. Cty that it devalues their Platinum status. 🙄

What is lost is the SM benefits, for which we paid extra and will continue to pay for if  we book after October 1. According to Jancruz, the new prices  will not be reduced, so the Silver members will get $250 and lose, depending on cruise length thousands. I do love Oceana, but this was a lipstick on a pig change. 

[jonthomas]

How about OBC,s to the amount of gratuities?

 

Or how about 250 obc per person not cabin?

[Vallesan]

I guess it depends on whether your glass is ‘half full’ or ‘half empty’. As a silver member yes we no longer get ‘pro rata’ benefits because gratuities are now included for every booking from October 1st. BUT …. we do get $250 per stateroom OBC which, if you like, is ‘cash in hand’. Yes prices have increased but they probably would have anyway so it is a ‘net loss’ but not in ‘real’ terms.

 

At the end of the day the ‘price’ is still the ‘price’ for your chosen cruise and it either fits or it doesn’t!

[pinotlover]

36 minutes ago, Benita said:

What is lost is the SM benefits, for which we paid extra and will continue to pay for if  we book after October 1. According to Jancruz, the new prices  will not be reduced, so the Silver members will get $250 and lose, depending on cruise length thousands. I do love Oceana, but this was a lipstick on a pig change. 

While I believe prices for cruises on the new release will increase, I highly doubt that Jancruz has seen a single itinerary and accompanying prices for that release. 
 

I am completely booked through early 2026 on Oceania and others, so this change will have no immediate impact on me. It will be interesting to see price structures , on current releases, post 10/1.

 

Even though we’re long past paying the gratuities, I’m happy that program is gone. Too many continual questions on who got them, how they were distributed, etc. The $18/day +$5/ day( butler ) was a made up number as is the $250 per cabin. Glad that program is gone.

Edited September 8 by pinotlover

[jonthomas]

all opinions are valued...after all with only 10 cruises on O, I am very new to all this...

 

 

[jonthomas]

Jan may  have said that O may look at the loyalty program and maybe re evaluate the 250 OBC per cabin, but as some of  you have said, be careful it may be scrapped all together.

[Acrusa]

We are sailing on our 15th cruise this January and we are now gold $400.00 SBC per cabin still don't see advantage We are on SM for this cruise. The cruise before SM we had $500.00 sbc for booking on board and another $500.00 promo and $250.00 for being silver. We used those credits for wine bottle purchase and a few excursions and got a $600.00 pp credit for booking our own air.

[Flatbush Flyer]

4 hours ago, pinotlover said:

Silvers had PPG before, they have it now. What was lost? In fact, we might have a gain. Now, under SL, we get the extra $250 on every cruise. Before it was only on those diminishing number of cruises our TA had OCCAP perks from Oceania.
 

I think some here would cry if O changed the free cruise perk to 15 cruises instead of 20. Cty that it devalues their Platinum status. 🙄

What you either seem to forget or didn’t know: That $250 “in lieu” used to be the total of your cruise’s gratuities (often four figure amounts). Then came the cut to O Club SBC and the Spa Credits. 
Which way we get screwed is not the issue. Rather, the issue’s the “big picture” of neglect of O’s elite O Club members.

And, suggesting that taking all O Life/SM perks away without lowering the fares is somehow “no big deal” is the poster child for “insulting.”

[basor]

15 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

What you either seem to forget or didn’t know: That $250 “in lieu” used to be the total of your cruise’s gratuities (often four figure amounts). Then came the cut to O Club SBC and the Spa Credits. 
Which way we get screwed is not the issue. Rather, the issue’s the “big picture” of neglect of O’s elite O Club members.

And, suggesting that taking all O Life/SM perks away without lowering the fares is somehow “no big deal” is the poster child for “insulting.”

When was the total of the cruise gratuities changed to a flat $250.00?  I know it has been several years....the only people receiving the total cost of gratuities in the last several years were those grandfathered in...so anyone achieving silver or above in the last several years has received $250.00 not the total cost of the gratuities. 

[golfguyhhi]

When we sailed under "OLife", we always picked the beverage package as our amenity.  When SM included the beverage package, we got it automatically, without having to request it.  Under this new program, we'll have to pay for the (basic) beverage package -- $40 ppd = $80 a day.  We average 18 day cruises.  We'll now have to pay (on average) $1,440 per cruise for that benefit -- in return for which we'll get $250 in OBC.

I'm happy that we have our next 10 cruises booked through April, 2026 and so won't hit this issue until we book our next cruise (which I expect to do when the 2nd half 2026 cruises are released late next month).

A pollyanna view might be that we will have collected $2,500 in OBC by that time.

[FetaCheese]

6 hours ago, pinotlover said:

While I believe prices for cruises on the new release will increase

Received a call ( rep left VM) from my O PCC, yes on a Sun. morning. Wants to help me plan my next cruise before 01 OCT, "when fares will increase"

[mauibabes]

@golfguyhhi Love your trip planning, we have a mere 4 on the books, waiting for a good look at 2026 itineraries. Here is another suggestion, we “parked” about $1500 in the market buying 100 shares of NCLH. Your average 18 day trips would earn you $250 per trip more in SBC as a Shareholder so that means another $2500. Wish O gave SBC to Military Vets but so far only NCL and Regent of the 3. 
Mauibabes

[EJL2023]

9 minutes ago, mauibabes said:

@golfguyhhi Love your trip planning, we have a mere 4 on the books, waiting for a good look at 2026 itineraries. Here is another suggestion, we “parked” about $1500 in the market buying 100 shares of NCLH. Your average 18 day trips would earn you $250 per trip more in SBC as a Shareholder so that means another $2500. Wish O gave SBC to Military Vets but so far only NCL and Regent of the 3. 
Mauibabes

If they grant you the shareholder credit.  Not been granted for us yet on our upcoming cruise in October.  

[mauibabes]

Already have credits on our Statements for both of our November cruises.  If MIA, try resubmitting your request and including a statement it is a resubmission due to it not appearing on your booking statement. If you have a TA, get them working on it 👍. 

[jonthomas]

We did the same, bought shares when we started sailing with O.

 

They have paid for themselves for the 10, 11th coming up.

 

Have always gotten the additional OBC from them, no problem.

[EJL2023]

8 minutes ago, mauibabes said:

Already have credits on our Statements for both of our November cruises.  If MIA, try resubmitting your request and including a statement it is a resubmission due to it not appearing on your booking statement. If you have a TA, get them working on it 👍. 

I actually called O and the rep told me they don’t give them until 30 days out, which is obvious bs.  I paid full price for the cruise….did get PPG due to TA consortium.  

[mauibabes]

Already have credits on our Statements for both of our November cruises.  If MIA, try resubmitting your request and including a statement it is a resubmission due to it not appearing on your booking statement. If you have a TA, get them working on it 👍. 

[mauibabes]

@EJL2023 I would resubmit with a note as I said previously, your October sailings should reflect the Shareholder Credit as mine shows under Gift Orders, under Promotional Amenities. I just checked again. 
Mauibabes

[EJL2023]

2 minutes ago, mauibabes said:

@EJL2023 I would resubmit with a note as I said previously, your October sailings should reflect the Shareholder Credit as mine shows under Gift Orders, under Promotional Amenities. I just checked again. 
Mauibabes

I’ll submit a Second Request tomorrow.  Obviously in the overall scheme of,things not a big deal…..but sometime it is the principle….and O is not doing good on that front recently. 

[jonthomas]

have looked at the Silversea's loyalty program....very competitive with O...maybe even better...

 

O cant claim theirs is the best loyalty program at sea....maybe they never did...

 

O needs to take a look at other premium lines before they lose too  many loyal customers. 

[ak1004]

7 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

 

And, suggesting that taking all O Life/SM perks away without lowering the fares is somehow “no big deal” is the poster child for “insulting.”

 

This really depends on your personal situation.

 

For example, we don't drink, so drinks at meals is not a real perk for us. We also prefer private tours, so $300 credit has some value for us, but not too much. But gratuities on a 12 night cruise are $216. We can now take that money and book 2 private tours, instead of paying $300 for ship excursions. But the difference is that for about the same money, we now have small group tours instead of 35-40 people on O excursions. And unlike with O credit, if a port is cancelled, we actually get that money back.

 

See how for some people the change might be actually beneficial and not an insult?

[Flatbush Flyer]

39 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

 

This really depends on your personal situation.

 

For example, we don't drink, so drinks at meals is not a real perk for us. We also prefer private tours, so $300 credit has some value for us, but not too much. But gratuities on a 12 night cruise are $216. We can now take that money and book 2 private tours, instead of paying $300 for ship excursions. But the difference is that for about the same money, we now have small group tours instead of 35-40 people on O excursions. And unlike with O credit, if a port is cancelled, we actually get that money back.

 

See how for some people the change might be actually beneficial and not an insult?

Reread my posts. The primary insult is to elite O Club members. The were already getting the gratuities PLUS O Life OR SM perks.
 

And, no matter whether you are new to O or a regular, you are being charged the same fare as when there were extra perks (booze, tours, SBC).

 

How can you not see the screw job??? No price change and perks are gone. Not exactly rocket science to understand the issue.

Edited September 9 by Flatbush Flyer