New O Life promo coming

[ORV]

Fwiw

 

I booked under the old promo and got the Olife. We are in an oceanview.

[titong]

I asked my travel agent to call Oceania because of a cruise we had booked for Sept. 2016 to find out what the O promotion would be for our ten day cruise. She called Oceania, and called me back to tell me that for prepaid gratuities, free internet and 4 free excursions it would be one thousand four hundred and forty nine dollars for each of us. I said no way. She also stated, she agreed, and that we were better off not taking it. She also stated the regular price, without the Oceania promotion was one thousand seventy hundred fifty dollars. As I stated, we turned down Oceania's offer.

 

This is an update to my post. I just looked at what we paid for the cruise, and what the cost now is for the cruise. We are in a g cabin on a Rivera Med cruise. I notice that Oceania has increased the cost by about 1500 dollars per person, and that all the f and g cabins are waitlisted on our cruise. Wow, what an increase. I guess we were very wise or lucky to have booked this cruise early. I think that we were probably lucky. :)

[spindrift]

PaulChili, sorry but in this case, you are wrong. We are concierge, and the amount was much more. But no big deal. Regent has the right approach.

[buggins0402]

Fwiw

 

I booked under the old promo and got the Olife. We are in an oceanview.

 

Same here...with an F. Started with one cruise, then Olife came about, but not for lower cabins. Switched to another cruise of same length...rate had increased by $300(on both)but no Olife for cheap seats. Then O expanded to all cabins and we picked up O life for no charge. Funny thing, the reason we changed cruises was that I was racking my brain how to see sites I wanted to see...Olife would have solved the issue on the ports that were problematic.

Edited December 31, 2015 by buggins0402

[Paulchili]

Fwiw

 

I booked under the old promo and got the Olife. We are in an oceanview.

 

ORV & spindrift,

it would appear that this may have varied from cruise to cruise - or became available later as posted above by buggins0402 .

We are on the Marina this June and have friends who are joining us on their first O cruise. They booked an Oceanview and when the O Life first came out, they were told that to get it it would cost them quite a bit more because they had to upgrade to veranda or concierge (I am not sure which one). Our cost of upgrade to O Life was minimal as we were in a PH already.

That's all I know :)

Edited December 31, 2015 by Paulchili

[janecambridge]

New to Oceania and have our first cruise booked in August.

Please could you tell me what OLife is?

Also,I am unable to find January 1st sales in the UK.Is it just USA that get the sales this month?

Thank you..

[StanandJim]

New to Oceania and have our first cruise booked in August.

Please could you tell me what OLife is?

Also,I am unable to find January 1st sales in the UK.Is it just USA that get the sales this month?

Thank you..

Olife is an Advertising Campaign which features a revolving list of promotions which passengers may select in order to customize their cruise experience.

 

What those promotions are in the UK versus the USA, as well as which options you will qualify for as a UK resident differ radically.

 

In short, they won't tell us about yours or you about ours, so the best way to get accurate information is to ask your local Agent.

 

[LHT28]

New to Oceania and have our first cruise booked in August.

Please could you tell me what OLife is?

Also,I am unable to find January 1st sales in the UK.Is it just USA that get the sales this month?

Thank you..

In post #1 I copied & pasted the new O Life promo

if you can check the links it should give you an idea if they do not work in the UK I would look at the Oceania website for UK residents

As mentioned it could be slightly different for UK residents

[Hawaiidan]

I have booked 4 cruises with Olife...gratuities, shore ex and internet with my agent 4 months ago. I booked it for the the published price and even got a good size on board credit too on each cruise...in addition to my regular O bronze $200pp

 

At no time did I have to pay a "supplement" for O life. Quiet to the contrary I paid actually a discounted list price of almost 8% !!! in an inside friggen cabin too!!!

If your agent is telling you it is "extra" then you have a real issue... I'd drop agent "Ben Dover at the Jesse James agency"...

 

I added up my next cruise and each of us ( mywife andI) willbe getting about $700pp in O life value + plus about the same in OBC credits... Many times I see a "sale"just get rolled... not this time. If you had the wisdom to buy like ORV and I then as they say in Branson...."Ya' cut a fat Hog".

On 4 cruises the difference between O life of old and O choice is thousands of bucks. to me.... and no "extra charge"

[Jayne E]

Since sale of O, the pricing changes and promotions are making the booking experience quite unpleasant!! Used to be Oceania guaranteed the earlier the booking, the better the price and so it was. No longer!!! Now it's become a guessing game when to book. Additionally, most B2B are now "Grand Cruises" and no discount on 2nd itinerary. Need an accountant rather than a TA!!!

Edited January 6, 2016 by Jayne E

[sitraveler]

I'll admit it can be confusing, especially if you're trying to save every nickel.

 

If one had booked before O'Life, then the price was much less than with O'life.

If you wanted the O'Life perks, you had/have to pay more. The first O'Life was not switchable or creditable. The new version gives more options.

 

Depending on your needs, one may very well prefer one over the other, but IMHO, the choices are valuable and merit looking at.

[LHT28]

Since sale of O, the pricing changes and promotions are making the booking experience quite unpleasant!! Used to be Oceania guaranteed the earlier the booking, the better the price and so it was. No longer!!! Now it's become a guessing game when to book. Additionally, most B2B are now "Grand Cruises" and no discount on 2nd itinerary. Need an accountant rather than a TA!!!

 

I agree

I prefer the early booking gets the best deal promo but seems that is not the case anymore

I will now wait to book closer to sailing than my usual 18mths in advance

 

My TA did manage to get us the B2B as 2 cruise but no discount like before

 

I think Oceania is doing more GV & that way they only give 1 cruise credit instead of 2

[TrulyBlonde]

ORV & spindrift,

it would appear that this may have varied from cruise to cruise - or became available later as posted above by buggins0402 .

We are on the Marina this June and have friends who are joining us on their first O cruise. They booked an Oceanview and when the O Life first came out, they were told that to get it it would cost them quite a bit more because they had to upgrade to veranda or concierge (I am not sure which one). Our cost of upgrade to O Life was minimal as we were in a PH already.

That's all I know :)

 

Paul, you are correct because we upgraded as you did and the costs to us were valuable, but we already had PH and VS. About $300 to $400 more. Worth it to us.

[Hawaiidan]

Since sale of O, the pricing changes and promotions are making the booking experience quite unpleasant!! Used to be Oceania guaranteed the earlier the booking, the better the price and so it was. No longer!!! Now it's become a guessing game when to book. Additionally, most B2B are now "Grand Cruises" and no discount on 2nd itinerary. Need an accountant rather than a TA!!!

 

 

You just need a good agent.... and its still possible to book 2 sep cruises, combined taking air credit from each as though they were 2....

Booking,

I have found is pretty straightforward and plesant.

As far as price....in all my current bookings through 2017, I have gotten both excellent price, as well as cabin deals by booking 12-18 mos out.

No change I can see... infact by booking with the Olife I have saved thousands !!!

Id say you need not an accountant but a new Travel Agent.

[LHT28]

You just need a good agent.... and its still possible to book 2 sep cruises, combined taking air credit from each as though they were 2....

Booking,

I have found is pretty straightforward and plesant.

As far as price....in all my current bookings through 2017, I have gotten both excellent price, as well as cabin deals by booking 12-18 mos out.

No change I can see... infact by booking with the Olife I have saved thousands !!!

Id say you need not an accountant but a new Travel Agent.

You missed the point as usual:rolleyes:

 

I have a good TA but even "super woman" cannot change the way things are now compared to the early years when no discounts or perks were added 6-8 months out & after final payment

 

 

 

[Hawaiidan]

You missed the point as usual:rolleyes:

 

I have a good TA but even "super woman" cannot change the way things are now compared to the early years when no discounts or perks were added 6-8 months out & after final payment

 

 

 

 

You missed my point that by booking 12 to 18 months out I have gotten both perks and benifits o life etc for a good savings... I have not experienced any situation where there were additional discounts or perks given. To the contrary I have seen perks reduced and benefits as well by booking 6-8 months out..

 

There may be some that have these changes, but I have yet to experience them.

Maybe for Canadian residents they zing them....not being one or in a volatile economy I haven't experienced these fluctuations at all.

[LHT28]

You missed my point that by booking 12 to 18 months out I have gotten both perks and benifits o life etc for a good savings... I have not experienced any situation where there were additional discounts or perks given. To the contrary I have seen perks reduced and benefits as well by booking 6-8 months out..

 

.

Yes true

just because it has not happened to you does not mean it has not happened ;)

 

Happened to many of us back in 2012 or 2013 when perks were added 6-8 mths out

some were able to get them added to their booking but others were not so lucky :rolleyes:

I believe this is what Jane was referring to ..how in the past those booking 1 yr + got the best deals

Now deals can be added at anytime like the main stream lines

 

 

 

[Hawaiidan]

What ever cruise you select, do the math, and historical booking of it to determine the potential. I study stuff and have so far been VERY happy.

I do agree that some cruises can be totally liquid. I avoid them.

 

Its very possible, that the per day cost, pp, can swing from $230 to$430 for the same cabin/time Research can help diminish that/those risks...

Well, in my experience .

 

On the situation of Grand Sailings, VS B2B A good agent can book each sepirate so that you get air credit for both ( I never take O air) and in many cases where you might only get 1 cruise credit you then get 2.

As the wicked witch once said to Dorothy, " its not what you do, but how you do it"

 

Happy New Year...........may you all sail for the pleasure of just being there.

[LHT28]

On the situation of Grand Sailings, VS B2B A good agent can book each sepirate so that you get air credit for both ( I never take O air) and in many cases where you might only get 1 cruise credit you then get 2.

As the wicked witch once said to Dorothy, " its not what you do, but how you do it"

 

As I posted my TA did get me the 2 cruise credits even though a GV was offered... we have 2 booking numbers

 

We take the O air when it works for us

 

YMMD

[jeaniemat]

They are now offering this new deal on a cruise in May which I booked last year, but the price has risen by £250 per person plus no included gratuities. So all in all not such a great deal!

[Hawaiidan]

Are all different as are the terms and I wont even get into Australia.

 

An interesting development for USA passengers happened to me yesterday

I am booked about 4-5 cruises for 2016 and 2017, all to catch the O life deal of Grats, internet, and5 shore ex.

Then the new O choice came out that you could pick one of 3 benefits. ( right there I had already saved thousand$) I discovered to my pleasure that those booked under the old O life can also pick and choose from the new O choice all while still retaining the Old O life benifits......

 

On one cruise I found the shore ex provided to be not what I wanted... However, O was willing to swap my 5 shore es's with a total value of $575pp during a 21 day cruise, for a Select Beverage deal for 21 BUT I'd have to pay $20pp/pd..

 

so I got and 840 vlaue dome $260 more in value. AND retained my Gratuities and Internet worth $903 by themselves

So the whole Life/ O choice combo was worth $1780.00 per person AND that dosent include any agent OBC and Bronze/Silver OBC... !!!!

 

So, buying 12 to 16 months in advance, and being wise in ones choices can really pay off big time...

[DOJO466]

At the very last minute (Dec30) I decided to purchase the O life package for our upcoming May sailing. For $300 per person they offered unlimited internet, ppg's, 4 shore ex and OBC. I did not want the shore ex so after the O choice came into place Jan 1st, I was able thru my wonder TA to swap for the house beverage pkg with an option to up grade to premium which has to be done onboard. In short, the total beverage pkg cost was $570 less than it would have been and I still get ppg and OBC and unlimited internet instead of the 400 minutes I has prior. To me this was a no brainer. And I still have OBC in case I do want to take an excursion or 2 for that matter:D

[LHT28]

The games are becoming too complicated on Oceania :eek:

 

I am looking for a simple life now that I am old :D

 

Time for a change for us

 

YMMV

[findacruise]

When we booked our 34 day RT Sydney for 2017 it was under O Advantage - free internet, PPG and 5 shore excursions. Yesterday I saw the OLife offer for our cruise and called our TA. We do drink, but weren't going to purchase a beverage package for that length of cruise (Liver+cost!)

 

We get PPGs for Silver and 400 OBC and like to do private shore excursions or do our own thing. We traded out the PPGs and shore excursions for the standard beverage package. at $39.95 a day PP that comes to just over $2700 which is a good deal in my mind, considering our particular circumstance. Still get internet for 1 and if we want an occasional cocktail, fine, but we can do our favorite wine pairings with dinner when we feel like it and not worry about the cost.

 

Personally, it may take some thinking, but I like the flexibility.:)

[Hawaiidan]

It works or worked best for those who booked Olife before O choice

 

If youdid that you made out by getting 2 programs to pick fro,

 

When I can $3500.00 in benifits in addition to on board credits from agents and tier level.......how can you beat that