Is this new to the OLife Program

[pinotlover]

Was reading all the small print on a new cruise offering, and got to the very very bottom of the small print and this is what is said:

 

Cruise only fares do not include OLife Choice amenities or air fares.

 

How long has this been in effect? Never noticed before that if we do our own air, we lose OLife as part of the deal. Better check that last cruise I booked!

 

Is this the new deal now for all cruises or just select ones?

[cruisingxpert]

They have 2 fares now. See the top of fares where it has

Promotional Fare Cruise Only Fare

 

The Promotional is what we are used to and the Cruise only is a new program that they started recently

[Almagetty]

To my understanding, you can do the promotional fare with or without air, or you can do the cruise only fare, which is the price for the cruise with the air and all the promotions omitted.

 

 

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[Classiccruiser777]

We booked a cruise including O-Life benefits sans air. No problem.

[pinotlover]

Thanks and I understand the options. Without a good TA, this could be confusing to someone new wanting to book the cruise knowing they didn't want or need the air. They could easily book the cruise only fare thinking they were still getting the OLife package. I just think that the very very bottom of the small print page is a crappy place to put this info. Is that the best place to advise newbies to read any Oceania's new cruise offerings from?

[LHT28]

It has been in effect for a while now

 

The "cruise only" fare is just that no O life or air

Some people like the cheaper rate & may not need/want the included air or any of the O Life benefits

 

Personal choice

[TERRIER1]

I just booked and went through this. The Oceania web site is confusing. The cruise only fare is without air fare and Olife. You can still take the Olife options even if you did not take the air. The Olife is extra. They should add another column and have it reflect the cost with Olife.

[arima22]

Oceania already has a very simple choice when a person starts an on line booking- you select whether you will need air or not. If you select "no air" then the cruise price shown is without air, but with the Olife included. This is how many of us find out what our air credit will be prior to making the decision to use O air or book air ourselves.

[Hawaiidan]

It has been in effect for a while now

 

The "cruise only" fare is just that no O life or air

Some people like the cheaper rate & may not need/want the included air or any of the O Life benefits

 

Personal choice

 

Totaly correct...its all up to you... You can however, mix and match, that is take a one way air to or from and get the other leg vis $$ or like many use your Miles. Like a trans atlantic... get a saver business class on your airline and use O's getting home form a US port, or buy it! You can get wonderful flights to Europe for 50-70K miles that would have cost thousands.. on Lufthansa, Swiss UAL, ( I avoid american and delta like the plague, inferior, at best)

 

As an example a cruise coming back around Thanksgiving or Christmas New Years etc to a US port ..I t might be wise to go with a O booking to get home. Or on longer cruises the OBC is better because it would be less than healthy to have a long term liquor relation available. Everyone is different.

 

Too you can again mix and match 2 segments of a cruise one with full or partial o life benefits and the other without any.... Very flexible and its easy to sit down and make a "whats best for me" in this case program... fun too

This option has been around for years...its just they printed it for those who had not figured out you could play with every thing.

[pinotlover]

Question on the TA cruises?

 

I'm not doing a true TA but a Rio to Miami cruise, same difference air wise. Currently the airfare is stupid trying to book this. In all the major airline cases, I can buy a round trip ticket to Rio and from MIA and throw away half the ticket cheaper than I can buy the open jaws. So, If I decide to use miles to fly to Rio, what percentage of the air credit should I expect from Oceania if I allow them to just to just do the MIA home section? I don't want to do that long flight to RIO in economy and O's upcharge for business is stupid expensive.

 

How about this scenario, I use ff miles to fly in to RIO (BC), whenever I choose, and fly out of MIA the day of disembarkment. Will O credit me with half of the air credit? Actually, the air credit for this cruise is so stupid low, that half of stupid low is almost a miniscule number, but that is a different conversation.

 

Back to my OP. I actually called my Brother and warned him about this. He lives in FL and sometimes jumps on some of the seven (7) day winter cruises to the Carribe as short get aways. He always drives to Miami and spends the night before the cruise at a hotel where he gets either free or very cheap parking during the cruise, and takes a taxi to the ship. He had no idea that he could screw up and do a cruise only selection and lose all OLife benefits . Sneaky new deal!

[sitraveler]

We do many TA's. On cruises to Fla, my domestic flights are well under O's allowance, therefore we book them ourselves. Of course, gold status eliminates any deviation charges anyway. One way O, just get the details from O or your travel agent. Allowance is typically half of RT.

 

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Edited March 12, 2017 by sitraveler
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[RJB]

I just booked and went through this. The Oceania web site is confusing. The cruise only fare is without air fare and Olife. You can still take the Olife options even if you did not take the air. The Olife is extra. They should add another column and have it reflect the cost with Olife.

Smoke and mirrors.... Oceania is just adding another line to confuse us. Give a cheaper price than before to make us think the fare is less. Very sneaky. Just have to see thru this trick. Too bad that O has to resort to this. Most of the things they do great except when it comes to pricing.

[LAexNY]

You can always find a dark motive for any change. I'm sure O is out to trick us.

[azam71209]

The other thing you lose with cruise only is free internet.

[Flatbush Flyer]

They have 2 fares now. See the top of fares where it has

Promotional Fare Cruise Only Fare

 

The Promotional is what we are used to and the Cruise only is a new program that they started recently

 

 

Actually it's three fares: "promo with air and O Life," "promo with O Life but without air," and "cruise only" (no O Life or air).

 

 

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[ORV]

The other thing you lose with cruise only is free internet.

 

 

Huh?

[LHT28]

The other thing you lose with cruise only is free internet.

isn't that part of the O Life perks?

Make sense if you opt out of the O Life then you do not get any of the perks

[ORV]

I read that as "only" instead of "other"

 

Must have been too early for me when I read it. It makes more sense with the right word.

[robandlil]

I got very excited about a month ago when I saw the new pricing with no air. Immediately contacted my TA who explained I could indeed change my booking to the new promo and save $800. But I would lose my O package of free wifi and $1000 obc. So really not a good deal.

[Flatbush Flyer]

I got very excited about a month ago when I saw the new pricing with no air. Immediately contacted my TA who explained I could indeed change my booking to the new promo and save $800. But I would lose my O package of free wifi and $1000 obc. So really not a good deal.

 

 

Yes, unless you don't drink, fly, use a web-enabled device..., the "cruise only" fare is a "throw away." Somewhat similarly, if one is planning to extend their travels pre/post cruise, taking the air credit provides the best flexibility (albeit, paid or free loyalty "O deviation" may be worth consideration).

 

 

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[spuds]

I think the Oceania site is quite confusing! I noticed this about 6 weeks ago.... on our cruise on the first page there is a Promo fare and a Cruise Only. The difference between these 2 fares is 1300.00. When you go into Plan a Cruise and say you do not want air the difference between the Promo fare on the 1st page and this page is only a 1000.00. It says on the top of the column that this is a Promotional Fare.. but at the bottom of the page it says 'above prices reflect cruise only reservations'.

[Bootman4U]

I am about to book a TA and this post has been SOMEWHAT helpful but it gives me enough information to ask about when I call the cruise line later this morning. And I'm sorry but these obviously subjective comments about "inferior" airlines are not helpful.

[Flatbush Flyer]

I think the Oceania site is quite confusing! I noticed this about 6 weeks ago.... on our cruise on the first page there is a Promo fare and a Cruise Only. The difference between these 2 fares is 1300.00. When you go into Plan a Cruise and say you do not want air the difference between the Promo fare on the 1st page and this page is only a 1000.00. It says on the top of the column that this is a Promotional Fare.. but at the bottom of the page it says 'above prices reflect cruise only reservations'.

 

 

See post 15 above.

 

 

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[RJB]

You can always find a dark motive for any change. I'm sure O is out to trick us.

You are very right. Most changes are not for the benefit of the customers. Trick us, confuse us all the same. Make more money for them. That is O.K. in business as long as we know what we are paying for and not getting zapped by the small print. Just want to easily read what our options are. :confused::confused::confused:

[spuds]

See post 15 above.

 

I saw that... and I agree there seems to be 3 options... my point is the website is not clear as on the 'Olife promo no air' option it says at the bottom of the page that prices reflect 'a Cruise Only' reservation.... and if you actually continue on and try to make a reservation it does not bring you to the promo options... like it does if you do select air.

 

I think Oceania needs to do some work on their website.