Oceania Club Points Question

 

For my calculations of Aza points I took the cabin that O gave us for our "free" cruise - i.e. the cabin we averaged over the first 20 cruises. That would be the most fair way for my comparison.

How does Oceania determine the "average" when you achieve your free cruise?

How does Oceania determine the "average" when you achieve your free cruise?

If the majority of your 20 cruises were spent in a balcony cabin, your free cruise will be in a balcony cabin (and so on). If you spent 1/2 of your days in balcony and 1/2 in inside - I am not sure what they would do :D

If the majority of your 20 cruises were spent in a balcony cabin, your free cruise will be in a balcony cabin (and so on). If you spent 1/2 of your days in balcony and 1/2 in inside - I am not sure what they would do :D

Paul, you seem to have the pulse of the program... Good to know that the "free cruise" is in a "cabin of like average past bookings". Now I may have missed it but what it the duration/length of the free cruise? Is it too an average of your average length cruise like cabin type???

Curious

If I cruise 14 to 34 day cruises the majority being 20 to 22 day average would my free cruise be a 3 week ???

Paul, you seem to have the pulse of the program... Good to know that the "free cruise" is in a "cabin of like average past bookings". Now I may have missed it but what it the duration/length of the free cruise? Is it too an average of your average length cruise like cabin type???

Curious

 

If I cruise 14 to 34 day cruises the majority being 20 to 22 day average would my free cruise be a 3 week ???

No, the following is directly from O's website concerning Club points:

The awarded FREE CRUISE must be taken on the guest’s milestone cruise and is based on double occupancy, subject to availability at the time of booking, is not combinable with public promotions, excludes government taxes and fees, cannot exceed 14 days in length and includes roundtrip coach air only. The FREE CRUISE must be approved and will be placed as a guarantee until stateroom category has been assigned, upon authorization from the Oceania Club. For cruises over 14 days in length, the cruise cost will be prorated for the additional days. Stateroom category will reflect the accommodations most closely matching the typical category selected by the guests on prior voyages. Air Credit will not be given if guests elect to purchase their own air. Reservations for the FREE CRUISE may only be made 180 days or more prior to sail date. Other restrictions may apply.

when we took our "free" 22 day, we paid for the 8 additional days. But Oceania does not count this as a cruise towards #40.

Also, despite the program being cruise credits, they announce the number of nights at the O club gatherings aboard ship.

To add to the above:

when getting close to your 20th cruise plan very carefully as the free cruise must be THE 20th - not 21st or 22nd (AFAIK).

This might come into play when one is on an extended trip that may count as more than 1 segment during which the 20th & 21st cruises are reached.

No, the following is directly from O's website concerning Club points:

The awarded FREE CRUISE must be taken on the guest’s milestone cruise and is based on double occupancy, subject to availability at the time of booking, is not combinable with public promotions, excludes government taxes and fees, cannot exceed 14 days in length and includes roundtrip coach air only. The FREE CRUISE must be approved and will be placed as a guarantee until stateroom category has been assigned, upon authorization from the Oceania Club. For cruises over 14 days in length, the cruise cost will be prorated for the additional days. Stateroom category will reflect the accommodations most closely matching the typical category selected by the guests on prior voyages. Air Credit will not be given if guests elect to purchase their own air. Reservations for the FREE CRUISE may only be made 180 days or more prior to sail date. Other restrictions may apply.

So its really not "free" as port charges, taxes, fees can run up the charges you have to pay for the free cruise that could easily run a couple $100 a day In some markets....

To add to the above:

when getting close to your 20th cruise plan very carefully as the free cruise must be THE 20th - not 21st or 22nd (AFAIK).

This might come into play when one is on an extended trip that may count as more than 1 segment during which the 20th & 21st cruises are reached.

So if I have 18 credits and I take a 35 night cruise I will lose the free cruise?? I noticed the rules say the free cruise must be the milestone cruise (number 20).

So if I have 18 credits and I take a 35 night cruise I will lose the free cruise?? I noticed the rules say the free cruise must be the milestone cruise (number 20).

This is MY interpretation - not official.

Credits given by Oceania (copied from O website):

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

Thus the first 24 days would be your cruise #19 and then days 25 - 34 would be your 20th "free" cruise. If true, then your free cruise would be only 10 days whereas you are entitled to 14.

That is why IMO you need to be careful about planning.

Again - this is my interpretation and it could be right or wrong.

I avoided this dilemma by making my 20th a separate cruise :D

Someone who knows for certain will chime in, I am sure.

PS In the above scenario there could also be a potential conflict with cabin. For example - you are entitled to a balcony cabin for your "free" cruise (based on your history) but on this cruise you are in a PH.

Would you have to move out of the PH for the "free" cruise or pay the difference? I don't know the answer - but I am sure someone does :).

Boy - do we ever miss Don on these boards! Not just for this answer but for all of his great contributions over the years and his calm voice of sanity.

RIP Don - we remember you fondly and miss you.

I'll have to look closely for 14 day cruises I want to go on in 18. Should be there by then. This is interesting reading for those of us approaching that magic number.

FWIW, we were on a cruise with a couple that took their free cruise on their 21st or 22nd, but it took a bit of wrangling from their TA to make it happen.

I'll have to look closely for 14 day cruises I want to go on in 18. Should be there by then. This is interesting reading for those of us approaching that magic number.

My understanding is that anything over the 14 day cruise you pay the difference for the extra days

People met did an 18 day cruise they just paid the 4 days

Your TA should be able to sort it out for you :D

I'll have to look closely for 14 day cruises I want to go on in 18. Should be there by then. This is interesting reading for those of us approaching that magic number.

 

FWIW, we were on a cruise with a couple that took their free cruise on their 21st or 22nd, but it took a bit of wrangling from their TA to make it happen.

As Lyn posted above, you can do a longer cruise and just pay for the extra days.

No reason to pick a 14 day cruise that may not be your first choice - pick a cruise that you really want (a very expensive one :D)

You just don't want to pick one that is shorter than 14 days ;)

Also, remember the requirement to book the free cruise at least 180 in advance (not sure how strictly this is enforced but best to keep that in mind)

Boy - do we ever miss Don on these boards! Not just for this answer but for all of his great contributions over the years and his calm voice of sanity.

RIP Don - we remember you fondly and miss you.

My DW and I were saying that just yesterday..

This is MY interpretation - not official.

Credits given by Oceania (copied from O website):

 

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

 

Thus the first 24 days would be your cruise #19 and then days 25 - 34 would be your 20th "free" cruise. If true, then your free cruise would be only 10 days whereas you are entitled to 14.

That is why IMO you need to be careful about planning.

Again - this is my interpretation and it could be right or wrong.

I avoided this dilemma by making my 20th a separate cruise :D

Someone who knows for certain will chime in, I am sure.

PS In the above scenario there could also be a potential conflict with cabin. For example - you are entitled to a balcony cabin for your "free" cruise (based on your history) but on this cruise you are in a PH.

Would you have to move out of the PH for the "free" cruise or pay the difference? I don't know the answer - but I am sure someone does :).

Boy - do we ever miss Don on these boards! Not just for this answer but for all of his great contributions over the years and his calm voice of sanity.

RIP Don - we remember you fondly and miss you.

IMHO, based on reading the rules and your example, you would lose the free cruise. Don't see how they could or would break the 35 day cruise into 3 separate cruises as you describe. Cruises are priced for the entire cruise and there are costs in there which would have to be broken down to each of the 3 cruises described since they are not per day such as air. Also, one would get 3 credits for one cruise as the rules were written so would not get a chance for a free cruise after the 20th credit. Hope this can be worked out but, believe it would be difficult.

This is MY interpretation - not official.

Credits given by Oceania (copied from O website):

 

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

 

Thus the first 24 days would be your cruise #19 and then days 25 - 34 would be your 20th "free" cruise. If true, then your free cruise would be only 10 days whereas you are entitled to 14.

That is why IMO you need to be careful about planning.

Again - this is my interpretation and it could be right or wrong.

I avoided this dilemma by making my 20th a separate cruise :D

Someone who knows for certain will chime in, I am sure.

PS In the above scenario there could also be a potential conflict with cabin. For example - you are entitled to a balcony cabin for your "free" cruise (based on your history) but on this cruise you are in a PH.

Would you have to move out of the PH for the "free" cruise or pay the difference? I don't know the answer - but I am sure someone does :).

Boy - do we ever miss Don on these boards! Not just for this answer but for all of his great contributions over the years and his calm voice of sanity.

RIP Don - we remember you fondly and miss you.

Your details are great and for us who sail exclusively on O a genuine gem

Thanks Paul

I too remember Don, he visited me in Hawaii and I had the pleasure of his company....Wonderful guy... Loved crusing and said he'd take a tuna boat if that was all he could get.... Miss him..

IMHO, based on reading the rules and your example, you would lose the free cruise. Don't see how they could or would break the 35 day cruise into 3 separate cruises as you describe. Cruises are priced for the entire cruise and there are costs in there which would have to be broken down to each of the 3 cruises described since they are not per day such as air. Also, one would get 3 credits for one cruise as the rules were written so would not get a chance for a free cruise after the 20th credit. Hope this can be worked out but, believe it would be difficult.

You may very well be right - hence careful planning is needed, as I had mentioned. It might be possible to break up this cruise if it were a Grand Voyage consisting of two segments - 17 + 18 day cruises (bookable separately or just as individual cruises)

Apparently, they have made an exception before - as mentioned above - and allowed a free cruise on cruise 21 or 22.

I would not count on that and would not want the hassle of negotiating that. All of that is avoidable by planning ahead.

A twist to this planning too is from a post I read a couple of years back of a couple who were working out the details of their free cruise.

Their particular wrinkle was that on their most recent cruise one of them was on their 19th and the other on their 18th. They wanted to have the free cruise the same one for both, so the 20th for one and 21st for the other, but O was not allowing.

Interesting that there have been exceptions made as per earlier posts. When things like this become public it becomes more of a challenge for O to allow any exceptions because those who don't get one cite that it's been publicly posted that they have before so why can't they get an exception too. It just upsets good customers when "rules" become arbitrary (and the benefit of the rule breaking isn't applied to them of course).

What's really too bad is how a program meant to reward loyal customers and so restrictive requiring these loyal customers to read everything in the T's & C's and follow precisely or lose out on benefits they earned. And then watch some get waivers of the policy.

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A twist to this planning too is from a post I read a couple of years back of a couple who were working out the details of their free cruise.

 

Their particular wrinkle was that on their most recent cruise one of them was on their 19th and the other on their 18th. They wanted to have the free cruise the same one for both, so the 20th for one and 21st for the other, but O was not allowing.

 

Were they sharing a cabin for the 20th cruise?

I am not sure how it works did not think both people had to be on the 20th cruise in order to get the free cruise ???

So if one person get a free cruise does the cabin mate have to pay the full price if they are not at the same level?

Will have to ask my friend as she travels part time as a solo & sometime with her DH

She already had her free cruise

Interesting dilemma

I don't know the details, but my BW was on #20, I was on #19. 14 days were free, we paid the excess days for both. We met another couple with the exact same situation, it was handled the same.

I don't know the details, but my BW was on #20, I was on #19. 14 days were free, we paid the excess days for both. We met another couple with the exact same situation, it was handled the same.

Lou when you get to cruise #20 do you or did you get the free cruise as well??

I think that is the big question

Lyn

I don't know the details, but my BW was on #20, I was on #19. 14 days were free, we paid the excess days for both. We met another couple with the exact same situation, it was handled the same.

Glad you posted; I was indeed thinking of you but did not want to "speak out of school". Your experience on this helpful. Hope you're well.

Lou when you get to cruise #20 do you or did you get the free cruise as well??

 

I think that is the big question

 

Lyn

Oceania's not stupid. No.

Oceania's not stupid. No.

Thanks

So in the case that YOHOHO cited they were not entitled to 2 free cruises then

Hi to Marsha

Lyn

Each person received 1 free 14 day cruise. Even though it was only #19 for both partners. Planning was difficult, we would have taken other cruises but save the n/c for a more expensive cruise, but that is not an option.