Packets from Oceania

[Westyone]

Wish O would treat us ( and every cruiser regardless of cabin booked) ‘like gold’, especially cruisers new to the line who are more likely, I’m guessing, to appreciate the info, and who might become repeat cruisers.

 

We cruise out of NYC so I have gone to the terminal website to confirm if it is Manhatten or Brooklyn. (Manhatten). But I would think O should provide me with that info rather than me searching it out. The terminal could be wrong and is not responsible for us going to the right pier.

 

We are really looking forward to this cruise and to trying a new (for us) line. I really don’t want to belabor the point or start off the cruise feeling bitter. To me this is just marketing/customer service/organizational management 101.

 

My gratitude to you experienced O cruisers and frequent posters who are so gracious with your offer of info, help and reassurance.

[Hawaiidan]

We are in England and booked through a travel agent. Our blue book arrived today for our cruise in two months time. So you should have had yours some time ago. The only essential thing in it is the luggage labels, although I think you can always get some from the porters at the cruise terminal if necessary and write on your cabin number.

 

 

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Do mot worry...the packet is really a pleasant memory thing and not really needed at all! I never bring one, just a credit card and a passport and drivers licence and know your cabin number... Thats it Thats ALL!! Stressed as to where the ship will be? Call the port or O the day before! No way, 2 months in advance can you rely on that info as 100% Lots of last min berth changes here in LA and other ports. RELAX the "blue book" is never needed in reality.

 

If you go to the O site and register using your booking # then click on "Manage my Cruise" you will see ALL your reservations, shore ex, cabin details etc . You can pick up luggage tags at the time of checking in.... When checking in they have all your details... so no worries. one less thing to stress over. Worried about security letting you in? just show your passport and tell them your on the ship.

[Silver Sweethearts]

Worried about security letting you in? just show your passport and tell them your on the ship.

 

That may work for you, but on our Regent Navigator cruise last month out of Los Angeles (read: World Cruise Center in San Pedro), we needed our passports and cruise documentation paperwork to even get in the building. Just a passport alone didn't qualify for entrance.

[pinotlover]

The need depends upon the port. In Athens, last October, you had to show the ship’s documents to get past the first Port security gate. Your arrival time /entrance couldn’t be before your authorized boarding time on the documents. I’m sure there is a methodology to get to the ship there if the documents are list, stolen, etc, but it won’t happen quickly. Meanwhile that taxi meter is running!

 

Some ports you need them, others you don’t. Luck of the draw! Hopefully they arrive soon for the OP.

[Eartha Kitten]

We are sailing in mid-August and received our packet about 10 days ago. The packet did not indicate which dock or pier we were departing from -- only the port, which of course we knew already. Is there a place on the Oceania website to look up piers/docks? Otherwise, I have been able to go to the departure port's own website to look up that information directly. So for example, we are leaving from Stockholm and I looked up the ship info on this site: http://www.portsofstockholm.com/vessel-calls/.

[Toranut97]

Must concur. Never needed the blue book in the past, but it was requested in LA when we departed June 15 on Panama Enchantment.

 

 

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[LHT28]

We are sailing in mid-August and received our packet about 10 days ago. The packet did not indicate which dock or pier we were departing from -- only the port, which of course we knew already.

 

The email with the Final Cruise Summary has the port info

[LHT28]

In Miami they want the documents as well I either take the 2 pages in the Blue Book with the personal info or print off the FINAL CRUISE SUMMARY

Even with this info Miami had to look us up on a master list last time before they would allow us upstairs

 

The lady could not find us ...DH looked at the list upside down & pointed out names out to her ..Guess she might not have had her coffee that morning :)

 

I also will take my invoice showing the final payment

[Westyone]

Update

Got blue book today. Arrived via FedEx.

[pinotlover]

Great!

 

All’s well that ends well! You got your info in plenty of time.

[ORV]

Here's an interesting thing I noticed in my newest Blue Book. They no longer have the page showing the Oceania Club benefits. It was definitely in the one for our last cruise in Dec.

 

I'm thinking they don't want new cruisers to know what they would have got when they get there? Those of us already there know.

 

Things that make you go Hmm?:cool:

[LHT28]

Here's an interesting thing I noticed in my newest Blue Book. They no longer have the page showing the Oceania Club benefits. It was definitely in the one for our last cruise in Dec.

 

I'm thinking they don't want new cruisers to know what they would have got when they get there? Those of us already there know.

 

Things that make you go Hmm?:cool:

The website has been that way since just after they announced the new benefit program

they no longer list the amount of the OBC

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/experience/oceania-club/levels/

[welshfamily]

Sorry westyone for not replying as we have been away for a few days.

I am glad you have received your booklet. Reading through your posts I was going to post my email address so we could talk re the port etc. We are on the 25th sailing out of New York. I would never have packed booklet without this thread as our TA has issued us with e tickets/ vouchers for the flight, hotel, transfers and cruise.

When we have been with Celebrity/Azamara in the States we have only needed our passports and our online registration re credit card form.

Oceania is a new experience for us.

[LHT28]

When we have been with Celebrity/Azamara in the States we have only needed our passports and our online registration re credit card form.

Oceania is a new experience for us.

You really do not need the cruise booklet

 

just Print off the FINAL CRUISE SUMMARY that you get a few weeks prior to the cruise in case the port people want to see that you are on the cruise

 

You need a credit card at check in, Passport & any VISAS (if required )

[Westyone]

Welshfamily, do send your email. I don’t know if there is a way to send your address more privately rather than posting for all to see. Maybe some of the regulars here can advise.

 

I am going to follow the recommendation of LHT28 and others and bring passport, credit card and a printout of final cruise summary....which btw I have not received yet 😬. (Will rattle TA cage tomorrow as last week O said they sent it to him 7/6. )

 

On past cruises with Celebrity, they requested that we fill out and sign several pages and bring them to embarkation. Not once was I asked for those pages at check in. I would think all that is really needed is the booking number (and passport and credit card) and they can look up your info.

[LHT28]

I am going to follow the recommendation of LHT28 and others and bring passport, credit card and a printout of final cruise summary....which btw I have not received yet 😬. (Will rattle TA cage tomorrow as last week O said they sent it to him 7/6. )

.

Usually the email comes from O but I do think they also send it to your TA

As long as your email is in your Account with O

 

look in your profile under My Account to make sure your email is listed

 

 

IME they ask for your passport >look up your info > take your CC > take your photo > give you your room key & off your go :halo:

 

 

Enjoy the cruise

[Westyone]

Yup, they have my email address.

 

As advised, not stressing! :cool:

[LHT28]

Yup, they have my email address.

 

As advised, not stressing! :cool:

LOL

My cruise summary came 2 wks prior (behind normal schedule)

 

worst case take the booklet or print pages 2 & 4 the only time we have had to show them was to get into the building in Miami

 

the check in counter never ask for it

 

 

Gook luck

Lyn

[ORV]

The website has been that way since just after they announced the new benefit program

they no longer list the amount of the OBC

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/experience/oceania-club/levels/

 

 

Yeah, I remember it changing/being scrubbed of amounts. The book is something new though.

 

 

You really do not need the cruise booklet

 

just Print off the FINAL CRUISE SUMMARY that you get a few weeks prior to the cruise in case the port people want to see that you are on the cruise

 

You need a credit card at check in, Passport & any VISAS (if required )

 

Besides, the FCS is generally more updated with berth info etc. That's all I take, the book I leave at home.

[LHT28]

Yeah, I remember it changing/being scrubbed of amounts. The book is something new though.

 

I never really check the book anymore I check pages 2 & 4 take the luggage tags out

 

Since they stopped putting in the names of the top staff it really is not as useful as it once was

 

A nice thing for people new to Oceania though

 

 

3 more sleeps till we are onboard ;)

[MisterBill99]

We cruise out of NYC so I have gone to the terminal website to confirm if it is Manhattan or Brooklyn. (Manhattan). But I would think O should provide me with that info rather than me searching it out. The terminal could be wrong and is not responsible for us going to the right pier.

I'm not sure how you would be confused. Very few cruises sail out of Brooklyn these days and they specifically say Brooklyn when they do. I just got my Blue Book in the mail today for my first Oceania cruise (out of NYC, like you) and it clearly says "New York, New York" for the embarkation port and in the itinerary. Seems pretty clear to me.

 

To add another data point to the "when does it ship" question, my cruise is August 24th. It went to my TA who sent it to me via Priority Mail, so I guess Oceania sent it to her last week, around 7 weeks before the sailing.

[Westyone]

“I'm not sure how you would be confused. Very few cruises sail out of Brooklyn these days and they specifically say Brooklyn when they do. I just got my Blue Book in the mail today for my first Oceania cruise (out of NYC, like you) and it clearly says "New York, New York" for the embarkation port and in the itinerary. Seems pretty clear to me.”

 

MisterBill99,

 

According to Wikipedia: New York City encompasses five county-level administrative divisions called boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island. Wikipedia

 

So, if an itinerary says New York, New York it is not obvious which port, Manhattan or Brooklyn, your cruise is sailing unless you are experienced with sailing out of NY with a given line and you already know. According to the NY terminal website both QE2 and a Princess ship regularly sail from Brooklyn. Several others including Oceania, sail from Manhattan.

 

Our final Cruise Vacation Summary, which we received the other day at two weeks before sailing, is the only document I have seen that gives the embarkation port information:

Terminal Name: Manhattan Cruise Terminal Berth 2, pier 88

 

End of ambiguity.

Edited July 15, 2018 by Westyone

[LHT28]

Our final Cruise Vacation Summary, which we received the other day at two weeks before sailing, is the only document I have seen that gives the embarkation port information:

Terminal Name: Manhattan Cruise Terminal Berth 2, pier 88

 

End of ambiguity. ��

I am guessing the reason they do not put the exact port berth further out is that things can change

 

Usually the Final Cruise Summary is where you will find the berth pier location

 

 

Enjoy

[fp60]

Mine was put together on June 22,2018. Oceania responded that it would be mailed out approximately three weeks before departure. My cruise date is August 31, 2018 on the Sirena.

[MisterBill99]

MisterBill99,

 

According to Wikipedia: New York City encompasses five county-level administrative divisions called boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island. Wikipedia

 

So, if an itinerary says New York, New York it is not obvious which port, Manhattan or Brooklyn, your cruise is sailing unless you are experienced with sailing out of NY with a given line and you already know. According to the NY terminal website both QE2 and a Princess ship regularly sail from Brooklyn. Several others including Oceania, sail from Manhattan.

 

Our final Cruise Vacation Summary, which we received the other day at two weeks before sailing, is the only document I have seen that gives the embarkation port information:

Terminal Name: Manhattan Cruise Terminal Berth 2, pier 88

 

End of ambiguity. ��

I have lived in the NYC area my entire life and am very familiar with it. When New York, NY is used in the address, it is Manhattan. If it were Brooklyn, the address would say Brooklyn, NY. Now, just saying "New York" is confusing, and I noticed that the Cunard site has that for their QM2 sailings.

 

That said, I am glad to hear that the final documents specifically say which terminal.