Oceania club question

[DaisyUK]

Reading the other thread about Oceania benefits caused me to take a look at the details of the Oceania Club now that we have taken our first cruise and booked some further ones. I see that cruises up to 26 days earn 1 point. I have booked a back to back cruise which totals 24 days. I booked them at different times, and I am wondering whether this will earn me 1 point for one cruise of less than 26 days, or 2 points for 2 cruises of less than 24 days. I feel a bit embarrassed about asking this question, but it's been a slow day so far!

[MVPinBoynton]

Since a B2B is considered two separate cruises, you should get 2 points. I am making that assumption based on logic, not past experience. Others who really know the answer can confirm my assumption.

[StanandJim]

Since a B2B is considered two separate cruises, you should get 2 points. I am making that assumption based on logic, not past experience. Others who really know the answer can confirm my assumption.

 

 

If the two cruises which make up the B2B are offered as a Grand Voyage and you payed the Grand Voyage price, then the loyalty limits kick in:

 

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

Cruises 45-54 days will receive four cruise credits

Cruises 55 + will receive five cruise credits

 

If you paid the per voyage cost, then it counts as two cruises.

[hondorner]

Many of us feel the loyalty program is flawed because folks who take nothing but 7 day cruises can reach higher tiers 3 times faster than those taking 21 to 24 day cruises.

 

Most cruise lines have switched (rather painlessly) to counting days rather than cruises. I suspect Management avoids this conversion because Regent has always counted by days, and they work diligently to avoid having the two lines appear similar.

 

Sent from my XT1031 using Forums mobile app

[DaisyUK]

Thanks guys; I guess I'll just have to wait and see. I booked the first cruise, which is 14 days long, and then added the 10 day while onboard and received a 5% discount for a back2back reservation. I assume, therefore, that it is regarded as 2 separate cruises. However, I notice that the cruise in its entirety is listed as a Grand Voyage, so maybe it's open to interpretation.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Some cruise lines are tying themselves into knots with complicated loyalty programs that give different point awards for different cabins and also include certain other spending. Nothing they do works perfectly to reward "loyalty," no matter how you define that.

 

Airlines have found the same thing with loyalty rewards based on miles flown. The points used to expire after a year or two so they really rewarded Frequent flyers. Then they became permanent and even casual flyers eventually qualify for a free flight. So now they are beginning to move to a straight "dollars spent" basis -- which is what Hilton Hotels do.

 

I don't understand why the Cruise lines don't do this too. They make more money from casino big spenders than from inside cabin cheapskates, so why not reward them for their contributions? Same with bar bills and shore excursions.

 

Another difference with airline and hotel programs is that the VIP levels reset every year, so only frequent customers get all the perks. One year might not be enough for a cruise line, but a rolling three-year period would prove that you are "loyal" and eliminate Celebrity's problem where more than half the passengers on some cruises are in the top VIP category [which means that "you're special, just like everybody else..." ;)]

 

The big complication would be figuring out how to translate the old loyalty levels to the new vastly different program, but that would fix itself as the old timers hit the reset point. [it would also cause Cruise Critic to melt down with threads complaining about it... ;)]

[MVPinBoynton]

If the two cruises which make up the B2B are offered as a Grand Voyage and you payed the Grand Voyage price, then the loyalty limits kick in:

 

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

Cruises 45-54 days will receive four cruise credits

Cruises 55 + will receive five cruise credits

 

If you paid the per voyage cost, then it counts as two cruises.

 

Thank you for clarifying. If the OP had said Gran Voyage, I would not have commented, since I know nothing about them. :D

[LHT28]

Thanks guys; I guess I'll just have to wait and see. I booked the first cruise, which is 14 days long, and then added the 10 day while onboard and received a 5% discount for a back2back reservation. I assume, therefore, that it is regarded as 2 separate cruises. However, I notice that the cruise in its entirety is listed as a Grand Voyage, so maybe it's open to interpretation.

 

You will get 2 cruise credits ..we have done this several times in the past

Do not stress out about it ;)

 

Lyn

[DaisyUK]

If the two cruises which make up the B2B are offered as a Grand Voyage and you payed the Grand Voyage price, then the loyalty limits kick in:

 

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

Cruises 45-54 days will receive four cruise credits

Cruises 55 + will receive five cruise credits

 

If you paid the per voyage cost, then it counts as two cruises.

 

Aha - I missed your final paragraph. Thank you. I paid the per voyage cost, so hopefully I will get the 2 points. Weirdly, though, the per voyage cost was lower than the Grand Voyage cost (according to my travel agent) so it's win-win...

[DaisyUK]

You will get 2 cruise credits ..we have done this several times in the past

Do not stress out about it ;)

 

Lyn

 

And thank you also! I'm not stressing - just having a slow day and fantasising about my next cruise:):)

[ronrick1943]

Many of us feel the loyalty program is flawed because folks who take nothing but 7 day cruises can reach higher tiers 3 times faster than those taking 21 to 24 day cruises.

 

Most cruise lines have switched (rather painlessly) to counting days rather than cruises. I suspect Management avoids this conversion because Regent has always counted by days, and they work diligently to avoid having the two lines appear similar.

 

Sent from my XT1031 using Forums mobile app

 

And what about the people that book large suites--highest price, but nothing extra.

Rick

[ShopperfiendTO]

And what about the people that book large suites--highest price, but nothing extra.

Rick

 

I may be wrong, but your free cruise will be in the same cabin category that you mostly sailed on, so there is most definitely something "extra" when you book large suites (provided it is the type you mostly book).

[ronrick1943]

I may be wrong, but your free cruise will be in the same cabin category that you mostly sailed on, so there is most definitely something "extra" when you book large suites (provided it is the type you mostly book).

 

I was told no.

Rick

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Many of us feel the loyalty program is flawed because folks who take nothing but 7 day cruises can reach higher tiers 3 times faster than those taking 21 to 24 day cruises....

 

So the 7-day cruise can be seen as akin to a mileage run on an airline to get more points--cool.

[StanandJim]

I was told no.

Rick

 

The "free cruise" is most definitely given in the cabin category that the passenger books most often.

[dorisis]

We took a 26 day cruise and still have not received the extra credit. Even after calls to Oceania and a consultation whist onboard with Past passenger rep. I find Oceania a bit difficult with which to deal.

[Hawaiidan]

First... 2015 is gong to be a big shakeup in the airline points game and maybe the cruise lines will, pardon the expression get on board

I use UAl as an example Starting in 2015, to achieve any status you must durning the prior year not only have flown X miles but spent X dollars as well.

This curbs the long haul on a super discount fare.

Well, in 2015, miles will disappear and reappear as "points" You will earn points based on the loyality level you qualified for the prior year . However the points will be 1 point for 1 dollar spent.

Flying to Hawaii may be had for 450.00 and get you 5100 miles.... However next march it will only earn you 2250 points as a regular, 3150 as a premier, in coach ... a far cry from 5100 points/miles

In first class $2500 rt you get presently5100 niles+ 50% class or 7650

miles In 2015 that same passenger gets 12,500 points and 17,500 points as premier There is a cap how many points yon can accrue per trip.

 

THIS IS THE NEW GAME AND IT IS A GAME CHANGER........

 

To me all the cruise lines programs are pretty worthless investments. If they made themselves more like the airlines...annual $$$ and days spent per year. then it might make a difference

Eliminate the free cruise after 19 0r 20 and just accrue points for discounts on cruises,, at 130,000 points you get a free 14 day penthouse at 65,000 you get a 14 day inside.

 

I am not rolling in dough but it makes sense that the more you spend the more you should get in return.... if YOU are in a penthouse 20 days a year and I am spending 1/5th of that in my inside why should each of us get the same day credit???? The ships sail on the sea but they run on money.

[LHT28]

We took a 26 day cruise and still have not received the extra credit. Even after calls to Oceania and a consultation whist onboard with Past passenger rep. I find Oceania a bit difficult with which to deal.

 

It may take a week or more to show up in YOUR PAST CRUISES in the Oceania Club link

I cannot recall how long before it show our last cruise after we returned... I do not check there often

 

Lyn