Oceania Cruises Introduces Free Wi-Fi Fleetwide

[Ken the cruiser]

On the other hand my DW and I are glad there is the OLife option as we like booking cruises through the cruise line and the OLife excursion perks allow us to get the best deal by pre-booking the most expensive ones ($199 or cheaper but no OE or OS) for free and then book enough to get the 25% Your World Collection package discount on the rest.

[roothy123]

Really, Oceania is pretty much a la carte now, in my opinion. On our upcoming cruise, we went for the cruise only, with no O Life and no air. Since we don't do many ship excursions, don't drink, don't get spa treatments, and only sometimes want Oceania or any cruise line's air, it works best for us. I don't really have to be online, and can live with using Wifi or internet once I get ashore; my husband could care less about internet.

 

Some people may not realize that you do not have to take the O Life package to get the included air. Maybe some people are choosing O Life simply to get the combination of included air and some money to spend onboard.

 

While I like Viking a lot, I always feel like I'm overpaying with them, since they provide a free excursion in each port and wine and beer at lunch and dinner, plus free internet. I love the internet, like the free excursions, but never drink the beer and wine. Overall, I'm probably paying for a lot I don't use. I like O's a la carte approach much better.

 

We've never considered Regent since we know we would definitely be paying for lots of things we wouldn't use.

[Carol From California]

On the other hand my DW and I are glad there is the OLife option as we like booking cruises through the cruise line and the OLife excursion perks allow us to get the best deal by pre-booking the most expensive ones ($199 or cheaper but no OE or OS) for free and then book enough to get the 25% Your World Collection package discount on the rest.

 

The excursions are so overpriced on Oceania, even with the package discount! You can book private excursions with one or two other couples (easy to find people on the roll call) and save a bundle. Besides, the private excursions are so much better! You get a local guide and there are 4-6 people, instead of being on a bus. With a private excursion if you see something you want to stop and photograph the guide will stop for you, or if you want to get out of the car to get a better look at something the guide will let you do that. The guide will take you where you want to go and it is a more personalized experience. I have found that most of the Oceania excursions are mainly just bus tours.

[Carol From California]

Really, Oceania is pretty much a la carte now, in my opinion. On our upcoming cruise, we went for the cruise only, with no O Life and no air. Since we don't do many ship excursions, don't drink, don't get spa treatments, and only sometimes want Oceania or any cruise line's air, it works best for us. I don't really have to be online, and can live with using Wifi or internet once I get ashore; my husband could care less about internet.

 

Some people may not realize that you do not have to take the O Life package to get the included air. Maybe some people are choosing O Life simply to get the combination of included air and some money to spend onboard.

 

While I like Viking a lot, I always feel like I'm overpaying with them, since they provide a free excursion in each port and wine and beer at lunch and dinner, plus free internet. I love the internet, like the free excursions, but never drink the beer and wine. Overall, I'm probably paying for a lot I don't use. I like O's a la carte approach much better.

 

We've never considered Regent since we know we would definitely be paying for lots of things we wouldn't use.

 

We switched over from Regent to Oceania many years ago for that reason, however we have booked a Regent cruise and compared the price with an almost identical itinerary on Oceania and it was around the same price when you factored in everything. For us it is about the cruise line (a ship we like), the itinerary, and the cost. I like things about different cruise lines. If I had to choose my overall favorite though, it would be Marina/Riviera on Oceania. I have not been on the Regent Explorer yet, so that might change my mind after we complete that cruise.

[Ken the cruiser]

The excursions are so overpriced on Oceania, even with the package discount! You can book private excursions with one or two other couples (easy to find people on the roll call) and save a bundle. Besides, the private excursions are so much better! You get a local guide and there are 4-6 people, instead of being on a bus. With a private excursion if you see something you want to stop and photograph the guide will stop for you, or if you want to get out of the car to get a better look at something the guide will let you do that. The guide will take you where you want to go and it is a more personalized experience. I have found that most of the Oceania excursions are mainly just bus tours.

But we like bus tours. :D We like the peace of mind knowing the cruise ship will be there if our excursion is running late for whatever reason. Some folks like to do private tours and that's cool. We just like cruise line bus tours, especially when there is a wide variety of options to choose from.

 

As far as cost goes we usually average around $50 per excursion when we use the OLife excursions combined with the YWC package discount.

[Cruise Junky]

Soooooo... is wine with meals next?

[roothy123]

Soooooo... is wine with meals next?

Well, Viking sure copied a lot from Oceania, so maybe it's time for Oceania to start copying Viking, and wine with meals might be a good start for a lot of people!

[LHT28]

Soooooo... is wine with meals next?

I hope not

[Paulchili]

I wish they would do away with OLife completely! We don't drink much so don't need the drink package. We do like wine with dinner and usually have a few free bottles and purchase a few more. The Oceania excursions are very overpriced and private excursions is the way to go in my opinion. We book our own air with mileage. I would like Oceania to be completely "A-La-Carte".

 

But they are completely a la carte now.

You can book with or without air (and get credit if book without air) and book with or without O Life. You can buy a drinks package or not; you can book excursions with Oceania or do them on your own.

What else would you like in the a la carte menu?

[ORV]

I wish they would do away with OLife completely! We don't drink much so don't need the drink package. We do like wine with dinner and usually have a few free bottles and purchase a few more. The Oceania excursions are very overpriced and private excursions is the way to go in my opinion. We book our own air with mileage. I would like Oceania to be completely "A-La-Carte". It's about time that they are including Internet, like Viking and some of the other lines. We like Viking too. We currently have one cruise booked on Regent, one on Viking and waiting for the new itineraries to come out for Oceania so we can book another. I have to admit though we have only been on the Marina and don't think we would like the smaller ships....only Marina or Riviera....spoiled by the penthouse suites!

 

Is that what they mean by irony?

[Carol From California]

But they are completely a la carte now.

You can book with or without air (and get credit if book without air) and book with or without O Life. You can buy a drinks package or not; you can book excursions with Oceania or do them on your own.

What else would you like in the a la carte menu?

 

You are correct! Ready to book my next Oceania cruise! :)

[PaulMCO]

The free internet was coming. As many of the premium and luxury competitors have or will be going this route. Also over half the ship concierge and up now have it - even without O choice. Makes our choice easy. Cruise only.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Carol From California]

The free internet was coming. As many of the premium and luxury competitors have or will be going this route. Also over half the ship concierge and up now have it - even without O choice. Makes our choice easy. Cruise only.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Cruise only for me too. Loving it!

[Carol From California]

Someone I know is on the Marina right now and said the new Internet is amazing!

[Paulchili]

Someone I know is on the Marina right now and said the new Internet is amazing!

 

Currently on Nautica - no complaints here either.

Able to catch up with news on YouTube with basic package - most of the time :).

[roothy123]

Glad to hear that it's good. Is wifi also FREE now, for everyone, on those currently sailing on O?

(Anyone on Regatta now?)

[JimandStan]

(10:05 a.m. EDT) -- Oceania Cruises is joining other high-end cruise lines in offering free Wi-Fi to all passengers. The cruise line revealed today that unlimited, complimentary Internet access would be available across all of its ships by the end of April.

[ORV]

(10:05 a.m. EDT) -- Oceania Cruises is joining other high-end cruise lines in offering free Wi-Fi to all passengers. The cruise line revealed today that unlimited, complimentary Internet access would be available across all of its ships by the end of April.

 

And that could mean some of them have it before then? Or will it be the way it's been until 4/30, and you have to pay for it, or have it as a package or perk?

[GeezerCouple]

This "free WiFi for all" has us wondering about a "special offer" for two cruises in 2019 that would add $400 pp (so $800 total per suite), and then provide $800 OBC plus WiFi.

 

Looks like a "special offer wash" to us...???

 

GC

[JimandStan]

And that could mean some of them have it before then? Or will it be the way it's been until 4/30, and you have to pay for it, or have it as a package or perk?

 

They are changing over to the new service gradually, the Price changes 5/1.

[Erica@cruisecritic]

Here's what I heard from Oceania's PR, FWIW:

 

Wi-Fi will no longer be a part of OLife. There won't be any offering of Wavenet Prime as a perk, either as part of OLife or for booking an upper-category suite.

 

Wavenet Prime must be purchased for the duration of the cruise and can't be purchased for just a day.

 

The ships will have ample bandwidth to handle all users, so Wavenet customers won't suffer if lots of Wavenet Prime people are streaming at the same time.

 

All ships will receive the new Wi-Fi by the end of April -- he could not give me specific rollout dates.

[roothy123]

Here's what I heard from Oceania's PR, FWIW:

 

Wi-Fi will no longer be a part of OLife. There won't be any offering of Wavenet Prime as a perk, either as part of OLife or for booking an upper-category suite.

 

Wavenet Prime must be purchased for the duration of the cruise and can't be purchased for just a day.

 

The ships will have ample bandwidth to handle all users, so Wavenet customers won't suffer if lots of Wavenet Prime people are streaming at the same time.

 

All ships will receive the new Wi-Fi by the end of April -- he could not give me specific rollout dates.

Thank you. Very helpful.

[Jancruz]

Those are good news. I wonder what perk will come with the Olife as standard benefit. Internet was the one.

Ivi

 

 

No additional OLife perk..

Jancruz1

[tropicalkerry2002]

What am I missing? The title of the thread states everyone gets free internet, yet now O's PR dept is saying it must be purchased. Somebody please clue me in!

[Jancruz]

What about those of us who bought into the olife program because it included WiFi! Will we be receiving a refund? Or shipboard credit!

 

You will not..you still have 3 options

Jancruz1