AMHuntFerry

It is open for tours on the first day so it is not very quiet but it is open (until I think 10 pm or so)

Ask your TA (or O rep) for the "combinability" rules for your fare. They have them in written form and can send them (mine does). For example (your sale will have different rules), the current Extraordinary Sale is combinable with only a couple of things...O-Club Loyalty benefits and 2-for-1 deposits (whatever that is). O-Life Choice (not Ultimate) and O-air can be added just like drink packages and shorex packages. Nothing else is combinable...shareholder SBC, OCAPP ppg, and onboard savings are some of the things listed.

It was in writing on the Currents inserts we received in September 2022. I keep my hard copies just in case there is ever a question regarding what was promised.

I'm starting to think you are AI since you can't support your statement with verifiable facts, but here-goes anyway so other US pax have info to make their own decisions. Go to the PRC US embassy (Wash. DC) website (this is my state's location): http://us.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/lsfw/zj/qz2021/202206/t20220614_10702581.htm Read the procedures, specifically II.(3), "The physical application documents can be submitted to the Visa Office at the appointed time by the visa applicant or by an agent..." The LA consulate has the same language in their April 29th (kinda recent?) notice: http://losangeles.china-consulate.gov.cn/eng/visa/chinavisa/202304/t20230429_11068942.htm

Excellent (re)post @Flatbush Flyer! I am guessing you have a FAQ doc that you can easily cut and paste since you thankfully answer questions again and again (and again...). As one who only uses a TA for cruises (only O so far...that TA on QM2 is still in the wings for maybe 2024), one of the many reasons I use a TA is that I am able to access better fare rules than are available on the O website (don't know about via phone-rep). By "better", I mean clear (and in writing which I find easier to understand) regarding what can be combined and what cannot be combined (both O sales/perks and consortium perks). It takes some of the guesswork out, although I still ask about specific combos "just in case".

My parents have been to China on both DIY and Elderhostel trips and encouraged us to go. We never made it for pleasure and it looks like those DIY days are long gone. The last time my spouse went (Nov. 2019) he took zero electronics (no phone, not even a USB) and used cash only (probably not allowed now).

I hesitated to post the link, but here it is since it is the direct/core reference: http://us.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/lsfw/zj/qz2021/ We have ten year PRC visas for business purposes, so have been through the drill pre-Covid (used an agent for convenience). The worst part was finding a photographer who can meet the photo requirements; PRC is very strict. It was better than getting Russian visas though...their approved vendors are a nightmare (lost my spouse's passport one time; sent us someone else's passport another time and expected us to forward it with not even a "thanks"...ugh!). I doubt we'll be interested in traveling (business or pleasure) to either country for quite a while if ever.

Instead of taking $600 OBC, you are better off (fiscally) removing OLife from your booking. You are paying $600 for your $600 NON-refundable OBC. The Unlimited Passport (UPC) is rarely worth it unless you are on a cruise with no Your World Collection (YWC) (25% discount) option. Make a spreadsheet and run the numbers if so inclined. The OLife shorex option can be cost-effective, but only if there are 3 tours that appeal to each person and qualify for OLife (don't need to match). If all/most of the tours you like are "OS" or over ~$200 then OLife shorex is not useful...YWC is typically the better way to go in this instance (again...spreadsheets are handy). YWC and UPC also have better cancellation policies than OLife (see your Guest Statement and shorex pdf). To answer the question that you asked: Yes you can use the $600 OLife OBC to pay for shorex.

Can you please reference your source? The PRC embassy (US) site states "The physical application documents can be submitted to the Visa Office at the appointed time by the visa applicant or by an agent..." in their January 2023 notice regarding the re-opening of the Visa office. Has there been a more recent notice that I'm not finding? Good luck getting O to recognize current rules quickly. As I said, they can be slow as was witnessed during the restart of cruising among always changing Covid-rules.

The current policy on the PRC embassy's site went into effect March 15th; it includes "15-Day visa-free travel for cruise groups at Shanghai ports". O tends to be slow to update this type of thing especially for a cruise this far out, so I'm not surprised they have outdated info at the moment. The PRC determines who needs a visa, not O.

Ask for it and insist that it be sent. It should come with your Guest Statement and other docs when you book (or when it becomes available - about one year in advance...if you can see prices and can book online then it exists). It has critical info regarding booking, cancellations (by you or O), etc. that you need. Also, you said you booked shorex already. Did you receive pdfs showing itemized payment info and confirmation of the bookings? Ask for that too.

You should have been sent a pdf with shore excursion information. The intro material (before shorex descriptions) tells you about the discount packages available on your cruise. One is the "Your World Collection" (YWC) which gives you 25% off all shorex that you pay for (although it's not always available). If your O-Life shorex perk is 3/person, I am guessing your pdf will have a minimimum number of 4-6 per person (could be more, so check the pdf) to get the YWC discount. Your O-Life shorex count toward the YWC minimum (ex: If the YWC minimum is 5pp then you need to buy 2 (=5-3) more per person). You do not have to take the same shorex or even have the same total number.

Wait, what?? We have to wear socks?!? I guess I'll be packing a checked bag next time 😉 (and don't make the UK pax snicker with the "pants"...we'll have them showing up in scandalous attire 🤪)

You can see similar prices if you search deeply on the Cruise Critic search. Sorry I can't direct you to other sites that show the sale prices. https://www.cruisecritic.com/cruiseto/cruiseitineraries.cfm?shipID=607&cl=75&startDate=2023-10&cabin_type_id=3

My guess is you are seeing the Italian version of the Extraordinary Sale.

I looked at your October Riviera itinerary from your signature; on my TAs site it is showing starting prices of $1749 for balconies and $2849 for suites (with the Extraordinary Sale).

Europe has different advertising rules. The Extraordinary Sale prices do not show on O's US site, but it may be a requirement in other countries to show the sale price. Just speculating...

I looked at our Currents from last fall's CA-coastal. The first solo-social was embarkation day in Horizons at 6:30 pm with the social hostess. Check your Currents in your room for the time/location for your cruise. You can also check at Reception if you don't want to wait for your room to be ready.

The shoes above are what my spouse wears, but I've been eyeing slip-ons...currently this style is winning (probably black) is below, although he likes deck shoes too...so, uber-formal or casual? I hate shopping so who knows if he'll every wear anything other than black leather tennies.

Yep...very nice intro to cruising.

Oceania's new tag line, "make your cruise as inclusive as you want it to be and leave the rest of the passengers to their own devices" (showing why I went into the sciences instead of business 😉 an why puns make me sad)

I've only been to RG twice when on Riviera (Dec 2021), and I had to emphasize that "YES I really do want it spicy" and they bumped it up a notch but it was still what I would term subtle (i.e., not even a hint of a tear in my eye). My mother on the other hand would have been coughing and unable to eat it. So, if a dish is hot-spicy and you like hot, be pushy...the chilis are in the kitchen and just have to make their way to your plate/bowl.

Oops, I forgot...bring your own wine bottle(s) to dinner and pay a one time corkage fee per bottle. They will store unfinished bottles and bring it to any restaurant on request.

We are early/mid-50s but enjoy meeting people of all ages. We tried Riviera in the Caribbean in December 2021 in a concierge veranda and were surprised at how much we enjoyed hanging out on the ship (never cruised before, just using the ship to sleep and move port to port). O is very low-key and having conversations with other passengers is a huge part of the journey. The cruises out of Miami may run a bit older since Florida is a retirement destination and there are lot of people who are there for the ship, not the ports (I was surprised to find out some people never left the ship!). If you grew up in a multi-generational family/neighborhood or helped host your parents' parties (or something similar), you'll enjoy the other passengers. Answered already, but I can't help myself 😉 Bring as much wine, beer, cider, and hard alcohol as you can consume in your cabin. You can even have a small party with munchies in a PH if you use the veranda. Some people bring a case of their favorite then buy more at ports as desired. If you are picky about your liquor O can be hit or miss (e.g., I usually drink cider, but O's is not to my liking so I drink cocktails...there is usually something decent to choose from🙂 ). As LHT28 said, just buy the all-day drink package if you want the all-inclusive feel. The non- or light-drinkers really appreciate that O has this as an option. Already answered I think...no upcharge. See the FAQ above for how many you automatically get. PH can also get room service from any restaurant (when they are open) served by their butler. The butler may be able to get you more, but don't discount the GDR, Terrace, and Waves...they are way better than you probably expect. Lots of channels. We watched movies...mostly classic since that's our thing, but there were recent releases available too. I can't remember what else though, but there was a variety similar to a subscription package (cable/satellite/Sling).

I hope it was clear that I meant a genuine "thanks", not a sarcastic "thanks". I do appreciate constructive criticism and I think you will have valuable insights for people who may not be pleased with the Oceania experience. As someone who claimed that I would never be caught dead on a cruise ship unless there was a darn good reason (e.g., a family reunion), I was a little shocked how much I liked hanging out on an O ship (we only meant for it to be a "moving hotel" to get us to the ports). So, it's almost always a good choice to go outside your comfort zone, try new things, and occasionally be pleasantly surprised by the unexpected. 🙂 I look forward to your review and hope you have some fun future travels!