csolyn

On 6/29/2021 at 11:21 AM, ak1004 said:

Regarding the Internet: on our cruise in 2018, the "free" internet was almost useless. No streaming and the speed was very slow. We upgraded to the next level (I think it was around $10/day) and it improved significantly.

 

Is this still the case today?

I wouldn't say it's useless but it's slooooow like dial up and yes no streaming. Also one login per room at a time.

Great thread. I'm a seasoned O cruiser and I still get confused! I am including a screenshot of one of my cruise breakdowns so how costs can be added or subtracted is more obvious. This is an early booking cruise Venice->Rome.

We very rarely pay for O-Life now that internet is included on all cruises. It has nothing to do with O-life anymore. FYI our last two cruises self serve laundry was included too. Internet rules:
"Free Internet is one login per suite or stateroom and does not include streaming.  You can pay an added fee to stream or have a family plan with more internet per room. Good use of OBC for some!"

The only time we add on O-Life is if the shipboard credit is MORE than the price we are paying for it. So you'll see here it's $300 per person. The O-Life is giving $800 shipboard credit. Just and FYI you can use that shipboard credit to buy excursions just like cash. You used to not be able to use it before you got on the boat making it less valuable since lots of the tours were already booked up, but my last cruise I had it in my O account online and booked tours online with it.

Choosing the O-Life excursions. Here's the link to rules: https://www.oceaniacruises.com/legal/promotion-terms/

"OLife Choice free shore excursions vary by voyage and exclude Oceania Select, Oceania Exclusive, Executive Collection, Food & Wine Trails, Wellness Discovery Tours by Aquamar, Go Local and Culinary Discovery Tours."

It's important to note that not all tours can be booked with your O-Life. I know we book lots of tours that don't count because all the longer, more active, and exotic tours fall into the excluded categories.

Same goes with YWYW. That package only lets you do some tours and not all. The 25% discount does work on most.

Important to note that not in the airfare terms and conditions that the airfare rules are intense and IMO annoying and controlling. I always book without airfare since I like to arrive early and leave late. O tries to charter their own planes when they can which will, quite often, arrive just a few hours before the cruise. Also, I think the deviation fee is ridiculous! I use miles or shop a good flight. If I was going somewhere really remote or I didn't want to spend extra time in a location I might use O air...but so far 10 years in and I haven't.

Once again, appreciate everyone who posted to this. Very useful and powerful thread of knowledge on Oceania amenities. 

Someone who watched the Live Tour is the French Veranda just an Ocean View with a big window or does it open? The layout isn't obvious except that it looks too small to walk on!

Ember and dining on Vista. Seasoned O cruiser here, went on my first on at 35 and have just kept on with them for a decade. Woofa, agree with you about Ember, the younger generations not eating in MDR (I haven't since one night on my first cruise), and although I have learned to love the cooking vids of Jaques because of my time on O, I had no idea who he was before that! I have learned a lot from him on my O tv over the years. 😉

Toscana is my hands down favorite place to eat on O. Red Ginger is my second. I don't get the love of Polo Grill. I can get a fillet from room service, on a sandwich at Waves,  and a great grilled steak of some sort in the Terrace Cafe. Terrace Cafe grill is my FAVORITE and keeps me on O ships if I'm honest. 

On 9/5/2021 at 9:08 AM, pinotlover said:

If the itinerary we want, which has been cancelled twice due to Covid, comes out in November, we’ll book that cruise and cancel the Vista cruise. Time will tell.

 I feel you on that! Our Baltic cruise has been canceled 2x. I'm aiming for a Vista cruise but I too imagine they will be really booked. 

On 4/28/2021 at 8:41 AM, mauibabes said:

At least this is some positive information after the NCLH announcement this morning.  Maybe there will be more to be shared soon as I understand there is a Webinar scheduled for Travel Agents on Friday afternoon with the VP’s. 
 

Very interesting about the NCL tour policy. EU vs CDC policies so since any sailings coming soon are not subject to the CDC guidelines, I guess the ball is in each countries court for specific requirements. 

Thanks for the link so I could take a look at the full policies. 

On 4/28/2021 at 8:36 AM, patty1955 said:

https://www.ncl.com/sail-safe?intcmp=pdt_sl_SAILSAFE#d4m1

Lots of great info here! Most important detail I picked up " according to protocols in each specific port" So they aren't saying no, but the country might.

3 hours ago, susiesan said:

It would be a nice gesture on Oceania's part to upgrade those of us who have had this cruise booked and deposited since 2019, might encourage some not to cancel.

Anyone tried asking for better promo or a matched offer for their original booked cruise on their next cruise? I'm kinda thinking about writing customer service and asking. I think they handled the cancelations really poorly and are hoping we just don't complain. What I've learned from other O travelers over the years if that to get anything you have to be a squeaky wheel. I used to never complain about missed ports, or flooded bathrooms. Then I'd hear on another cruise that people who DID complain got money back or upgraded. So now I reach out and speak up...

This is a good recommendation and one I will keep in mind! We once had a really bad room steward. Like I walked in the first day and was like, "This room is dirty. It feels dirty and smells not right." That cruise I proceeded to get strep throat (never had it IN MY LIFE) and we got bed bugs in the room. That entire floor was ill. It wasn't a good thing and to this day I feel it was the staff wasn't keeping the rooms and halls etc clean. The people aboard also weren't that clean (I watched some guy blow a snot rocket on the hallway floor and was like ***** dude?!). To this day I am appalled that this was an O cruise. But It's good to know I should have complained to someone besides my room steward who didn't seem to care! 

I didn't see bands when I was on the Marina lots of weights, bosu balls, physio balls. They have some weight machines too. I'd bring a band to be on the safe side...