Special Offer Question

I'd like to make sure I understand how the special offers work before booking a cruise. I have a choice of 8 shore excursions, beverage package, or $800 shipboard credit. My husband and I don't drink, so that eliminates the beverage package. We're really only interested in 3 shore excursions, but two out of the 3 have OC as part of the description, so my understanding is that they cannot be included as part of the 8 free shore excursions. That leaves the shipboard credit. However, if we prebook shore excursions before embarkation, then my understanding is that we have to pay for them in advance, so under that scenario it doesn't appear that we can use the shipboard credit for the shore excursions. So it seems to me that the only thing we can probably use the shipboard credit for is gratuities, which would leave a lot of unused shipboard credit. Is there any other way to do this other than waiting to book shore excursions on board?

The understanding I was told was that the free excursions are valued up to $200 each, so any excursion over $200 the passenger would be requested to pay the difference. If you book a sixth excursion, then the passenger would get the 25% discount for all of the excursions and would be included if under the $200 amount.

your $1000 credit could be used for your three excursions though, and in the end, free is free, so discount the savings as you please.

Westmount

Some people go to the trouble of booking (and paying for) Excursions in advance and then cancelling and rebooking onboard (so as to use the OBC).

That might make sense to some, but I don't want to sit at the Excursion Desk on Embarkation Day, as I always have fatter fish to fry.....then again, I do drink

As Jim said you could prebook & pay for the excursions you want then try to see if they can cancel & rebook you once onboard

The downside could be there is a waitlist for the excursion & they may just bump you

also the refund would be a Refundable OBC that you can get on the last full day of the cruise from reception

You are not required to take all 8 excursions if you just want to do 6 but no refund will apply

You can use the $800 OBC fro gratuities, spa treatments or in the shops

I am not clear on using the "free excursions" to offset the OC or OE ones you would have to clarify that with O

We picked the 8 free shore excursions but our TA said we could change our mind until final payment. Especially since our 8/17 Rome-Venice cruise does not yet list shore excursions.

Just so you know, most shore excursions can be gotten elsewhere for about half price or less. Check your roll call for alternatives. That said, we did try several on a previous cruise and were impressed with the quality. Also convenient to know that we don't need to worry if the ship is delayed or a port is skipped.

I am also watching the cruise only fare since we plan to use miles instead of Oceania air and spend a few days before and after our cruise. Seems like the $800 OBC option is about the same price as cruise only plus $800 plus $1200 air credit. Only difference would be that the OBC or 8 excursion option includes internet. We also get refundable credit from our TA, which could be used to cover gratuities. Decisions. Decisions.

Mary

O Life "free" excursions cannot be those in OE/OC category but as pointed out above, they can be booked & prepaid up to 14 days before cruising and then "exchanged" for same excursions paid from the OBC. The refunded money for the prepaid tours is REFUNDABLE OBC (can be cashed out).

The understanding I was told was that the free excursions are valued up to $200 each, so any excursion over $200 the passenger would be requested to pay the difference. If you book a sixth excursion, then the passenger would get the 25% discount for all of the excursions and would be included if under the $200 amount.

your $1000 credit could be used for your three excursions though, and in the end, free is free, so discount the savings as you please.

Westmount

Not sure your statement about paying the difference for an OC or OE excursion when you have the included "free" excursion O'life program is correct. I believe if you select these classes of excursions you will be asked to pay the full amount unless you have purchased the required minimum number of excursions to get the discounted price or have purchased the alternate "your world" excursion package.

Not sure your statement about paying the difference for an OC or OE excursion when you have the included "free" excursion O'life program is correct. I believe if you select these classes of excursions you will be asked to pay the full amount unless you have purchased the required minimum number of excursions to get the discounted price or have purchased the alternate "your world" excursion package.

arima 22 - you are correct.

One cannot use OC/OE as part of O Life free tours and pay only the difference between $200 and the cost of the tour. One must pay full pricce for these and then possibly get 25% discount if required minimum of excursions is purchased PRIOR to the cruise (if minimum+ is purchased onboard it is only a 15% discount)

Sorry for the confusion, but I did speak to an Oceani rep, as I have five people in three rooms and was trying to figure out how best to use all the specials. We are on the Cape Town to cape Town trip, and many of the excursions are over $200, as they involved lions and tigers and bears (maybe not) oh my!

The agent told me that if I booked six tours, I could get the package price and then use the free tours credit up to $200 each for the five free ones.

The little problem is we re only stopping in six ports with overnights in two of them, and Mozambique having nothing but private vans there's not a lot to choose from.

So far, tours by locals has covered me in three ports, and with obc, i guess it doesn't really matter what they charge , because its obc.

Just to put things into perspective though, Oceania is priced at $5/$7000 per person, with credits etc taken off, and Silverseas, beautiful, wonderful, all included etc starting at $12000 for the same trip at the same time, I believe the value is still with Oceania, even if it cost me $1000 each in extras.

Safe travels to all.

Thank you all for the input. I usually do private tours, but was looking at the Oceania excursions because of the OBC offer.

Stay on the ship in Mozambique. Dangerous and nothing to see if interest

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So ... the only way I can spend part of my OLife "shipboard" credit on shore excursions is to wait to book them until we are on board? Won't some or all of the most popular excursions be fully booked by then? :((Although, since it's a Caribbean cruise, maybe it will be easy enough to explore on our own.)

So ... the only way I can spend part of my OLife "shipboard" credit on shore excursions is to wait to book them until we are on board? Won't some or all of the most popular excursions be fully booked by then? :((Although, since it's a Caribbean cruise, maybe it will be easy enough to explore on our own.)

The Caribbean is easy to DIY or join your roll call & maybe share some private tours

Use the OBC for other things or if you see an excursion that you cannot DIY book as soon as you board

Some tours the ship will fully book the local tour operator so you have to use the shorex if you want to do that specific tour

Thanks, Lyn. This is very helpful!

"O Life "free" excursions cannot be those in OE/OC category but as pointed out above, they can be booked & prepaid up to 14 days before cruising and then "exchanged" for same excursions paid from the OBC. The refunded money for the prepaid tours is REFUNDABLE OBC (can be cashed out)."

From VP

Not true. If they want to purchase shorex that are in addition to the Olife ones, they may pay with SBC once they are on board the vessel (most do not because they get a discounted price if they pre-book), but never exchanged for refundable SBC.

Jancruz1

"O Life "free" excursions cannot be those in OE/OC category but as pointed out above, they can be booked & prepaid up to 14 days before cruising and then "exchanged" for same excursions paid from the OBC. The refunded money for the prepaid tours is REFUNDABLE OBC (can be cashed out)."

 

 

From VP

 

Not true. If they want to purchase shorex that are in addition to the Olife ones, they may pay with SBC once they are on board the vessel (most do not because they get a discounted price if they pre-book), but never exchanged for refundable SBC.

 

 

Jancruz1

Not my experience but I won't argue with the VP (most recent experience June/July this year) :D

If Oceania insists on this policy, they should treat shorex bookings like Princess does (and from what I hear like Crystal does). Book it online pre-cruise and pay for it on the ship like any other shipboard expense (just like excursions booked onboard going to your onboard account and paid for at the end of your cruise). After all, one can cancel booked excursions prior to cancellation date whether they were pre-booked or booked onboard - no difference or distinction made at all.

Really do not see why this could not be done - it works for other cruise lines very well.

JMO

I just booked Riviera for next Oct. 25, 2017 as cruise only. My TA is throwing in enough credit to cover the gratuities and something caled a Bon Apetite wine package . My cruise price is exactly $800 less than the amenities package. I prefer to save the money on the cost of the cruise as I never do shore excursions, don't drink much, don't use the spa, and don't ever shop on cruises. I rarely spend anything extra on board and don't need to with Oceania. I will use FF points to cover the airfare.

I just booked Riviera for next Oct. 25, 2017 as cruise only. My TA is throwing in enough credit to cover the gratuities and something caled a Bon Apetite wine package . My cruise price is exactly $800 less than the amenities package. I prefer to save the money on the cost of the cruise as I never do shore excursions, don't drink much, don't use the spa, and don't ever shop on cruises. I rarely spend anything extra on board and don't need to with Oceania. I will use FF points to cover the airfare.

Sounds like you know what you want :). Nice to have these options to choose only what you want.

Looks like a great itinerary. Is this your first cruise on Oceania?

I just booked Riviera for next Oct. 25, 2017 as cruise only. My TA is throwing in enough credit to cover the gratuities and something caled a Bon Apetite wine package . My cruise price is exactly $800 less than the amenities package. I prefer to save the money on the cost of the cruise as I never do shore excursions, don't drink much, don't use the spa, and don't ever shop on cruises. I rarely spend anything extra on board and don't need to with Oceania. I will use FF points to cover the airfare.

If you booked the amenities package(O life , I presume) would you get a credit for the airfaire you are not using? If so , depending on the cruise, it might be more than the $800 or close to it , and you could still get , for instance, the OBC on the amenities pkg. ,and find something to spend it on.

Sounds like you know what you want :). Nice to have these options to choose only what you want.

Looks like a great itinerary. Is this your first cruise on Oceania?

This will be the third O cruise. First was in June 2006, North Sea itin (Mura may remember me) and second was Caribbean in Feb. 2011. Both were on smaller ships so I wanted to try one of their larger ones for the more food options. The lest Med cruise was two 7 day back to backs on Azamara in April 2009. I looked at doing this again with AZ and was comparing per day prices. Az priced out $70 pp a day more than O and the only extra I was getting was a dink package. I would not be consi=uming that much alcohol in a day to compensate for it. I gain the specialty restaurnat dining with O and that's more important tome than free booze.

What happened to JimandStan's post on this thread? :confused:

I think it was deleted by moderator. Methinks someone took offense, but I for one would have loved to know why.

I think it was deleted by moderator. Methinks someone took offense, but I for one would have loved to know why.

Me, too. :)

I think it was deleted by moderator. Methinks someone took offense, but I for one would have loved to know why.

A little research of her previous posts (2011) will give you part of the answer

 

A little research of her previous posts (2011) will give you part of the answer

Did someone make a comment about me? Was it funny and clever or nasty? What was it about something I posted way back in 2011 that would be of interest now?. Someone PM me and let me know what is going on. If my CC posts on the O board are going to be deleted and I won't be able to join a roll call and plan shore excursions I may have to rethink my choice of choosing Oceania for my next Med cruise. Is this an indication of the attitude of people who sail on Oceania?