When are Two Sailings One Sailing

I have sailed several times with Oceania and thought I knew the "rules of the road" as they relate to cruise credits. I understand that a sailing of up to 24 nights counts as one credit. However I recently booked a 7 day Barcelona to Lisbon immediately followed by a 10 day Lisbon to Rome sailing on Riviera in July 2016 only to learn that if I stay on board for both those particular sailings I will only receive one cruise credit since the two of them together are considered a Grand Voyage. Has anyone else experience this "new math"?

I have sailed several times with Oceania and thought I knew the "rules of the road" as they relate to cruise credits. I understand that a sailing of up to 24 nights counts as one credit. However I recently booked a 7 day Barcelona to Lisbon immediately followed by a 10 day Lisbon to Rome sailing on Riviera in July 2016 only to learn that if I stay on board for both those particular sailings I will only receive one cruise credit since the two of them together are considered a Grand Voyage. Has anyone else experience this "new math"?

I believe that it depends on how you pay for the two cruises. If you pay the single lesser Grand Voyage fare, then it counts as a single voyage.

If getting the two credits is important to you, have it priced separately.

I believe that it depends on how you pay for the two cruises. If you pay the single lesser Grand Voyage fare, then it counts as a single voyage.

If getting the two credits is important to you, have it priced separately.

It's my understanding that if two segments are listed as a Grand Voyage that you can not book them as a back to back. Even if you want to.

I believe that it depends on how you pay for the two cruises. If you pay the single lesser Grand Voyage fare, then it counts as a single voyage.

If getting the two credits is important to you, have it priced separately.

Thanks Stan&Jim. I just knew you would have an answer. I'll have to check on the pricing. While the Grand Voyage price is somewhat less than the two individual sailings I had attributed the difference to the fact that I would only require half of the total air arrangements for the two segments. My gut reaction was and is that because all of my prior "sailing" with Oceania has been on cruises where we all got on together and we all got off together it was easy to accept that, for example, the 24 days that we were on Regatta would be one cruise and thus under the rules would garner one credit. In this case we will be joined by friends for the second leg and it frosts me that at the end we both walk off the ship with one credit each even though the number of days we spent on board will be longer than theirs.

It's my understanding that if two segments are listed as a Grand Voyage that you can not book them as a back to back. Even if you want to.

I believe that you can book them separately, but you can't keep the same cabin.

Thanks Stan&Jim. I just knew you would have an answer. I'll have to check on the pricing. While the Grand Voyage price is somewhat less than the two individual sailings I had attributed the difference to the fact that I would only require half of the total air arrangements for the two segments. My gut reaction was and is that because all of my prior "sailing" with Oceania has been on cruises where we all got on together and we all got off together it was easy to accept that, for example, the 24 days that we were on Regatta would be one cruise and thus under the rules would garner one credit. In this case we will be joined by friends for the second leg and it frosts me that at the end we both walk off the ship with one credit each even though the number of days we spent on board will be longer than theirs.

It also depends on the number of days, some GV's are worth more than one cruise credit. For example, I'm on a 32 day GV in Feb/March of 16 that is worth 2 cruise credits.

Here's the breakdown in case you're interested.

Cruises up to 24 days will receive one cruise credit

Cruises 25-34 days will receive two cruise credits

Cruises 35-44 days will receive three cruise credits

Cruises 45-54 days will receive four cruise credits

Cruises 55-64 days will receive five cruise credits

Cruises 65 + will receive seven cruise credits

So apparently you miss it by one day.

I believe that you can book them separately, but you can't keep the same cabin.

You really have me scratching my head now. I defer to your extensive knowledge as I have learned much from reading your posts but these circumstances really defy logic. Oceania is free to make their own rules and we have to live with them if we want to sail with them but I can't help asking why?

It's my understanding that if two segments are listed as a Grand Voyage that you can not book them as a back to back. Even if you want to.

I agree

I did try once to book as B2B but it was listed as a GV so no deal

I believe that you can book them separately, but you can't keep the same cabin.

I think it's changed. Maybe someone that knows for sure could weigh in.

I believe that you can book them separately, but you can't keep the same cabin.

not true

I would check your information

Thanks Stan&Jim. I just knew you would have an answer. I'll have to check on the pricing. While the Grand Voyage price is somewhat less than the two individual sailings I had attributed the difference to the fact that I would only require half of the total air arrangements for the two segments.

If a true B2B you will also get the discount for both cruises plus the air ow on each segment

last time we got 5% off cruise portion

so probably will be about the same as a GV in the end

I agree

I did try once to book as B2B but it was listed as a GV so no deal

Thank you for sharing your experience as you obviously shared my logical assumption that two consecutive cruises are two cruises regardless of whether "the powers that be" deem them to be a Grand Voyage or not. It seems to me that a bright line test would be that if the crew is handling luggage for any paying passenger then a sailing has ended and another has begun. What causes me the most angst is that the Oceania Brochure that prompted me to book these particular segments makes no mention of them being a Grand Voyage and only shows them as two individual voyages (with two distinct names) so I do have a bitter taste from being subjected to a bait and switch in that this would have been our Very First back to back and now the crazy logic of calling them a "Grand Voyage" has taken that away from us.

Thank you for sharing your experience as you obviously shared my logical assumption that two consecutive cruises are two cruises regardless of whether "the powers that be" deem them to be a Grand Voyage or not. It seems to me that a bright line test would be that if the crew is handling luggage for any paying passenger then a sailing has ended and another has begun.

On the website it is listed both ways as single cruises & GV

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/grand-voyage-cruises/barcelona-to-rome-RVA160703A/?sr=%2Fcruise-finder%2F%23sailDates%3D2016|07%23destinations%3Dgrandvoyages

The Brochure may have the GV listed on a different page

Yes it is too bad they do not make a notation that the single sailing is part of a GV package

If not happy cancel ...you have time

On the website it is listed both ways as single cruises & GV

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/grand-voyage-cruises/barcelona-to-rome-RVA160703A/?sr=%2Fcruise-finder%2F%23sailDates%3D2016|07%23destinations%3Dgrandvoyages

 

The Brochure may have the GV listed on a different page

Yes it is too bad they do not make a notation that the single sailing is part of a GV package

 

If not happy cancel ...you have time

The brochure that I referenced is the 2016 Summer Collection for Europe & the Americas. There is a section in that brochure that lists Grand Voyages BUT this was NOT one of them. This one is listed in a section entitled EXTENDED JOURNEYS which I interpreted to be Back to Back trips otherwise why distinguish it by putting it in a separate section from Grand Voyages. I never looked at the web site (why should I) as the brochure had all the info that I needed to give to my Travel Agent.

We also booked a GV, instead of a B2B unknowingly at first. It was not well documented. Our TA did contact O, and they advised her that we could book the 2 cruises separate, but it would be an addl 2k more (as the GV is discounted). I would have had the same cabin for both. We decided to stay with the GV, as the extra 4 reservations for the specialty restaurants, and the O loyalty was not worth the added 2k.

We also booked a GV, instead of a B2B unknowingly at first. It was not well documented. Our TA did contact O, and they advised her that we could book the 2 cruises separate, but it would be an addl 2k more (as the GV is discounted). I would have had the same cabin for both. We decided to stay with the GV, as the extra 4 reservations for the specialty restaurants, and the O loyalty was not worth the added 2k.

Thank you! That was our experience also.

We also booked a GV, instead of a B2B unknowingly at first. It was not well documented. Our TA did contact O, and they advised her that we could book the 2 cruises separate, but it would be an addl 2k more (as the GV is discounted). I would have had the same cabin for both. We decided to stay with the GV, as the extra 4 reservations for the specialty restaurants, and the O loyalty was not worth the added 2k.

Thank you! That was our experience also.

Perhaps a time frame when this occurred would help. As we all know things & policies change from time to time.

We booked in March (2015), for a December 2015 sailing on the Riviera. So this is a current booking with O.

The brochure that I referenced is the 2016 Summer Collection for Europe & the Americas. There is a section in that brochure that lists Grand Voyages BUT this was NOT one of them. This one is listed in a section entitled EXTENDED JOURNEYS which I interpreted to be Back to Back trips otherwise why distinguish it by putting it in a separate section from Grand Voyages. I never looked at the web site (why should I) as the brochure had all the info that I needed to give to my Travel Agent.

I agree with you

I think they should make some sort of notation that

" this sailing could be part of a GV cruise check for details"

I do not get the brochures anymore ( I hope)

I see others have chimed in that they can book a separate cruises on a B2B basis for GV cruises

Wonder why 2 different people have 2 different answers from O :eek:

We also booked a GV, instead of a B2B unknowingly at first. It was not well documented. Our TA did contact O, and they advised her that we could book the 2 cruises separate, but it would be an addl 2k more (as the GV is discounted)

If you were to do the B2B did they quoted a discount priced on the included air or any discounts for b2b sailings??

2K seems high

I just compared a PH3 on the 2 cruises $4399 each VS the GV $7999 the difference is no where near 2K

plus you would deduct one r/t airfare credit from the B2B

something fishy

If you were to do the B2B did they quoted a discount priced on the included air or any discounts for b2b sailings??

2K seems high

 

I just compared a PH3 on the 2 cruises $4399 each VS the GV $7999 the difference is no where near 2K

plus you would deduct one r/t airfare credit from the B2B

something fishy

Didn't keep the email from TA, however we live in Florida, so no airfare anyway, since it leaves from Miami. It worked out, at the time of booking, GV Concierge was discounted and separate bookings on B2B were not, and I see today, that one is heavily discounted now (after final payment time), so are probably trying to get people to book. Also, with our GV, O promos at the time were added in, and now I see that the Dec 12th sailing has added the promo's (PPG, etc) where they were not at the time of our booking. It all has to do with timing with O. As has been discussed previously, O offers different things at different times, and it depends on if you are willing to wait for the promo's and risk not getting the cabin you would like, or reserve early and just be happy that you are taking the cruise. We aren't disappointed in taking the GV vs the B2B in any case. We just enjoy the time while we are still able to travel.

Didn't keep the email from TA, however we live in Florida, so no airfare anyway, since it leaves from Miami. It worked out, at the time of booking, GV Concierge was discounted and separate bookings on B2B were not, and I see today, that one is heavily discounted now (after final payment time), so are probably trying to get people to book.

Looking at the online prices today & yesterday they are no different than the brochure prices put out months ago

The only changes to the deal are additional perks

Still begs the question why it was going to be 2K more for a B2B if you could have done it

Enjoy your cruise

We experienced this situation with a Baltic cruise we have booked for next year.

Whilst onboard last month, we were told that even though the cruise we were interested in is listed as 2 separate cruises, when put together they form a GV and therefore although we could book one cruise or the other, if we wanted to put them together then it had to be a GV. I questioned this several times, because I wanted to book it as a B2B in order to get 2 cruise credits.

On arriving home, I questioned this issue with our TA and was told I could book it as a B2B but that the cost would be about £1,000 higher. Apparently the issue was one of US 'rules' (onboard) and UK 'rules' once off the ship.

This, of course, also reared its head with regard to the new OLife promotion. When on board I was initially offered the 4 included excursions, but once the ambassador realised I was British, this was rescinded and I was offered an included drinks package instead.

All very complicated...

We booked what was a GV while onboard last month. The ambassador told us that we could book as B2B. We did so for $500 more per person. We get 2 cruise credits and our silver level PPG's and OBC for each cruise. There was much questioning onboard between the ambassador and TA's. After we returned home our TA did look into it further and found that yes you can book b2b and we are in the same cabin in the aft PH1 on deck seven on Riviera. We also got 2 air credits.

So there is a lot of confusion with this issue.

We booked what was a GV while onboard last month. The ambassador told us that we could book as B2B. We did so for $500 more per person. We get 2 cruise credits and our silver level PPG's and OBC for each cruise. There was much questioning onboard between the ambassador and TA's. After we returned home our TA did look into it further and found that yes you can book b2b and we are in the same cabin in the aft PH1 on deck seven on Riviera. We also got 2 air credits.

So there is a lot of confusion with this issue.

Where did this picture on my post come from. That certainly is not me