AMHuntFerry

You can find some info in the FAQs: https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/ and the legally binding info in the Guest Ticket Contract and the Terms & Conditions (plus other docs): https://www.oceaniacruises.com/legal

Here's the relevant FAQ: https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360009515654-Can-I-receive-a-refund-if-I-don-t-use-my-shipboard-credit-

There are 110 V US and 220V European plugs, plus some USB ports. The hair dryer is usually in a drawer with things like a sewing kit and shoe horn. Since you are in a concierge veranda you have access to the spa terrace which has a hot tub and loungers.

@CACruiser999 Since you're on Vista, I saw recently that Starlink has been installed. Since she's a new ship she will probably have decent wifi. Vista's amenities (e.g., Embers) and itineraries seem to be geared toward a younger crowd so I think O is heading toward better IT-related stuff; it's just not quite there yet since the current consumer does not demand it and is happy with the product overall.

Not defending, just stating facts. I don't define luxury the same way as many/most and that's OK. I will be the first to declare myself abnormal in a variety of situations. Off to the Wilderness in a bit where even satellite messengers are unreliable 😉

I only have the single experience interacting with the O-rep in December 2021...the O-rep could see what I had put in my cart. Maybe he had to enter it in a different system?

I still use the online cart which the O-rep can see. I don't do well on the phone (I'm very visual, verbal/audio is my worst communication method), so it saves having to tell the rep which shorex I want. Also, if a shorex is full/waitlisted, I can prepare rather than thinking on the fly. As FF taught me, not all shorex show up online sometimes, so calling O (or TA) may be a necessity to book them. I did my fall cruise shorex online, but all I had were OLife ones. After completing the online "purchase", I had my TA send the pdf FF mentions.

Oh, and more luxury: the art work, furnishings (I can stare at the light fixtures and glass/crystal decor all day!), the food (needless to say), the beds/pillows, and on and on.

Is the ship doing an overnight in port the night before disembarkation?

The "luxury" comes in the form of personal interaction and service. Once you're onboard you'll see what I mean.

O does not really do IT well...evidence: website (shorex purchasing in particular) and onboard wifi. Lower your expectations now and you will be much happier. O is wonderful if you can leave modern tech expectations behind.

Heh, heh..."proprietary" 😅

Yes 🙂 It is usually 5-6 pm and after the evening show (9:30-10:30 ish?). The times and locations will be listed in the daily Currents. The drinks are from the regular bar menu (there are a bunch of special drink menus) and you get two of the same drink for the price of one. It's a great place to meet new people.

It's been a month since the OP's cruise and the charge to the card. He has contacted O with no reply. If the $423 is not paid when due, interest will accrue (on that and more). The OP believes the charge was incorrect. O owes a reply and hasn't given one, so the fact that a chargeback will cost O money is not the OP's problem.

I would have definitely messed up the explanation! I also have some OBC from my TA that is available to use for pre-cruise purchases; I thought it was OCAPP, but it is not (did I mention fuzzy brain?). This OBC is a consortium perk...some cruises they give PPG and others they give OBC (seems to be linked to "hosted" cruises).

Yes, contact your credit card company and dispute the charge; there is usually a simple way to do this when you log on to your account (or if it's a local bank/CU go in person)...be sure to have a paper trail. If you don't owe the money this will protect you from having to try to recover it from O. If for some reason you do owe the money, O will still get paid eventually.

I was trying to word how OCAPP OBC from a TA (really from O and is available for prepurchases) is different than Other OBC from a TA but my brain is failing me. I know you can explain it since you are who I learned it from.

No, shorex cannot be canceled online. Call O or have your TA do it. At the same time, ask for the itemized document showing your purchased (including any OLife, etc.) shorex.

Weekend website maintenance:

Yes, the pdf usually changes between booking and sailing if you book more than a few months out. Sometimes the times change after sailing; nothing is in stone.

Is Baristas open late on R-ships now? Last fall on Regatta they were the bar for the GDR and didn't have the evening Baristas menu like Riviera did. Say yes, and we will be happy campers. 🙂

If it's been awhile, ask for the latest version. Sometimes shorex get added/deleted and there may be price changes. Also, keep an eye on times in port and shorex times (even after you book). These have been in flux lately. On my fall cruise there are shorex that don't line up with the port times (e.g., shorex ends after the ship is supposed to leave), or my 7:30 am kayaking that is now 12:30 pm (thankfully!) with no heads-up from O.

As LHT28 says, get the shore excursions pdf for your cruise. It has package info as well as other critical info such as cancellation (by you or O) policies. I have never seen a shorex where UPC did not apply, but I suppose it is possible. You can tell the price of the excursion by looking in the UPC column on the website. If it says "N/A" then it is included for no additional cash. If it says something like "$69", then your additional cost is $69. UPC usually costs about $110/day. If there are OLife-qualifying shorex that you like, OLife combined with YWC may be the better choice. If you are mostly interested in the above-$200 shorex, then either YWC or UPC may be the better fiscal choice but it highly depends on which shorex you choose. If you narrow down your shorex choices to the ones of interest, you can either make a spreadsheet to compare or call an O-rep (or your TA if they are VERY O-shorex experienced) and they will help you figure out the best package. I like to do it myself, but you don't have to. Note that it is rarely possible to do more than one shorex per day.

That's only for the annual plan. Single trip plan goes up to $1M.

In the US we can remove OLife from our booking and pay less (= the OLife OBC)...not sure that's an option in the UK though. If it is an option and there are not enough OLife-qualifying-shorex still available, just drop OLife. If you still want to take O shorex, there are other packages available (YWC or UPC) and ala carte.