oceania and 'free gratuities'

:mad:

oceania reneged on giving us free gratuities on our 10th cruise on 1/5/13. told us they changed the rules for 10/1/12 and later cruises. must now already have done 10 cruises. bad pon them! anyone else experienced this?

That must have been very frustrating. Seems to me the rules should be as they were when you booked. I know I was misinformed by Miami when we rreached 5 cruises about the OBC but we did get that sorted out.

That does not sound right

But you have not taken the cruise yet so they will probably show up once onboard

It still shows under the Club benefits

online & the Your world brochure some NEW features are for 2013 cruises

Silver - Cruise Credits 10-14

• Silver membership pins
  
• $400 shipboard credit
  
• Complimentary pre-paid gratuities
  
• Exclusive Oceania Club cocktail reception
  
• Exclusive Members-Only Offers
  
• Advanced notice on new itineraries
  
• NEW - 20% discount on any single internet package
  
• NEW - 10% discount on the Unlimited Shore Excursion Passport Collection
  
• NEW - 10% discount on any beverage package
  
• NEW - 10% discount on Oceania Cruises logo merchandise
  

Apart from the current limited promotion through 12/12, if you book with the "right" TA you can get free gratuities even on your first cruise.

We booked with a TA and were able to get prepaid gratuities if we used an american express credit card to book.

I think the OP is talking about the Oceania Club benefits

Which would be in addition to any perks from the TA ;)

There must be some miscommunication between the OP & who ever told him/her they will not get the Free Gratuities for their 10th cruise.

Maybe they will come back & enlighten us ;)

You get a card in the cabin when you board for OBC credits from the Oceania Club program so I am guessing they will do the same with the Free Gratuities from the Oceania Club program

We have not got there YET so cannot comment

Lyn

Yes, you get a card for the Club gratuities along with the other cards.

If your TA also gives you prepaid gratuities there is a card indicating an on board credit. The cards indicate which are refundable.

I find it astounding that O wouldn't give free gratuities on a tenth cruise!

I agree ... check further!

Mura

:mad:

oceania reneged on giving us free gratuities on our 10th cruise on 1/5/13. told us they changed the rules for 10/1/12 and later cruises. must now already have done 10 cruises. bad pon them! anyone else experienced this?

You're probably right.

We plan to take our 10th cruise late next year (based on the new upcoming cruise listing), for which they indicate

a promotion with free gratuities if booked before the

end of this year. I spoke to them and they indicated that

if you already had 10 cruises, they would give additional

on-board credits, but if this was the 10th cruise, you were

limited to the free gratuities that will be available to

everyone.

So much for their "loyalty rewards" program --- which they

can apparently change at will.:confused:

Les

You're probably right.

 

We plan to take our 10th cruise late next year (based on the new upcoming cruise listing), for which they indicate

a promotion with free gratuities if booked before the

end of this year. I spoke to them and they indicated that

if you already had 10 cruises, they would give additional

on-board credits, but if this was the 10th cruise, you were

limited to the free gratuities that will be available to

everyone.

 

So much for their "loyalty rewards" program --- which they

can apparently change at will.:confused:

 

Les

That does not make sense either

If you have 10 to 14 cruises you get pre paid gratuities from the Oceania Club program so you you should get them plus the offer for booking early

I guess we will wait and see what comes out in the wash

Something is not adding up here

Lyn

Lyn, we will be in the 10-14 cruise level for our May cruise, which is a Grand Voyage which advertised free gratuities. Are you saying that we should receive the free gratuities based on our cruise level, plus the advertised free gratuities? Marlene

Lyn, we will be in the 10-14 cruise level for our May cruise, which is a Grand Voyage which advertised free gratuities. Are you saying that we should receive the free gratuities based on our cruise level, plus the advertised free gratuities? Marlene

Sure, tip the staff twice- :p

Lyn, we will be in the 10-14 cruise level for our May cruise, which is a Grand Voyage which advertised free gratuities. Are you saying that we should receive the free gratuities based on our cruise level, plus the advertised free gratuities? Marlene

If they are offering prepaid Gratuities for the upcoming new cruises then you should get them

If your Oceania Club benefits are at a level that you get pre paid Gratuities you should get them unless otherwise stated in the offer

According to what LES221b posted

I cannot understand why if you are booking your 10th cruise & under the new promotion you are not entitled to the Oceania Club Benefit but if you are booking your 11th cruise you are entitled

Someone is not correct

I really think there is a miscommunication someplace down the line

I would like to hear what "THE BOSS" has to say on how it will be handled

Lyn

Sure, tip the staff twice- :p

The prepaid Gratuities turn into an OBC

Found this in the new brochure page 110

Oceania Club benefits do not apply to Travel Agent

promotional offers, including but not limited to Travel Agent

reduced rates and interline reservations. Oceania Cruises reserves

the right to exclude or limit combinability with the benefits or

rewards offered by other agency partnerships or promotional offers

not specified herein. Oceania Cruises reserves the right to change

the program rules, benefits, conditions of qualifications, special

offers or cruise level requirements at its sole discretion.

Found this in the new brochure page 110

 

 

Oceania Club benefits do not apply to Travel Agent

promotional offers, including but not limited to Travel Agent

reduced rates and interline reservations. Oceania Cruises reserves

the right to exclude or limit combinability with the benefits or

rewards offered by other agency partnerships or promotional offers

not specified herein. Oceania Cruises reserves the right to change

the program rules, benefits, conditions of qualifications, special

offers or cruise level requirements at its sole discretion.

Even the most expensive gilt edged loyalty programs (which we get for being Amex Platinum, as I certainly would not pay their exorbitant entrance fees otherwise) don't allow double dipping. :cool:

Even the most expensive gilt edged loyalty programs (which we get for being Amex Platinum, as I certainly would not pay their exorbitant entrance fees otherwise) don't allow double dipping. :cool:

Yes - we had to pick between the Amex OBC $300 and our TA's Prepaid Gratuities on our booked cruise; we could not have both.

There are several different questions within the thread

Even the most expensive gilt edged loyalty programs (which we get for being Amex Platinum, as I certainly would not pay their exorbitant entrance fees otherwise) don't allow double dipping. :cool:

I guess it is how you look at things

For those passengers taking cruises 1 through 9 the pre paid gratuities is an incentive for booking perk

For those that are taking cruise 10+ cruises they do not get the prepaid gratuities for booking perk.... but they will get their Oceania club benefit perk

so for them it is a penalty for being a loyal Oceania cruiser :rolleyes:

OPTION

raise the price of the cruise add the gratuities for ALL & market it as "gratuiites included" just like the FREE air & hotel ;)

JMO

Lyn

OPTION

raise the price of the cruise add the gratuities for ALL & market it as "gratuiites included" just like the FREE air & hotel ;)

 

JMO

 

Lyn

NO NO NO Please no. NO price increase.

Many of us get gratuities included anyway through our TA's at current price points.

The terms and conditons for the new bookings opening today carry this caveat ".... All advertised fares, offers and any applicable shipboard credits may not be combinable with other offers or loyalty program benefits, ....and may be withdrawn without prior notice or remain in effect after the expiration date..." so that's telling me we won't be able to double dip on the pre-paid gratities even though it would be our 10th cruise or more.

The terms and conditons for the new bookings opening today carry this caveat ".... All advertised fares, offers and any applicable shipboard credits may not be combinable with other offers or loyalty program benefits, ....and may be withdrawn without prior notice or remain in effect after the expiration date..." so that's telling me we won't be able to double dip on the pre-paid gratities even though it would be our 10th cruise or more.

Always sad when perks we have earned are removed. It has happened on other lines, but none of then offer paid gratuities. That WAS a super perk.

~Doris~

Always sad when perks we have earned are removed. It has happened on other lines, but none of then offer paid gratuities. That WAS a super perk.

 

~Doris~

I agree

Why penalize your loyal cruisers by taking Perks away:rolleyes:

JMO

Lyn

I think if the cruise comes with prepaid gratuities and the cruiser is entitled to those gratuities as a loyalty benefit, Oceania should substitute something -- maybe not of equal value -- but of some value. It could be a free excursion, a spa treatment, a meal in La Reserve or Privee, a cooking class. It would cost them very little to gain a lot of good will. Otherwise, loyalty benefits are meaningless.

I think if the cruise comes with prepaid gratuities and the cruiser is entitled to those gratuities as a loyalty benefit, Oceania should substitute something -- maybe not of equal value -- but of some value. It could be a free excursion, a spa treatment, a meal in La Reserve or Privee, a cooking class. It would cost them very little to gain a lot of good will. Otherwise, loyalty benefits are meaningless.

I agree they should give you something .... an OBC works for me

All the other suggestions you made are worthless to us

YMMV

Lyn