On board credit for cruisers new to Oceania?

[Brissle]

Hi we are sailing on Marina in November Barcelona to Rio.

First time on an Oceania cruise.

Does anyone know of any scheme for first timers to obtain on-board credit?

My package doesn't include any OBC.

When we sailed with Silversea last year another passenger on the Roll Call suggested that I should be sponsored by a regular Silversea passenger and this worked and gave us a decent on board credit.

Is there a similar scheme with Oceania?

 

 

[LHT28]

No scheme like that for Oceania

You could see if there is the O Life perk on your cruise

or ask your TA if they give any OBC

 

[mdpa]

Amex Platinum gives you some OBC.

[Redtravel]

Just go and enjoy. On my first O cruise, I had very little OBC. My TA gave us some. The cruise was superb. We usually book OLife excursions. We buy our own air. We always plan on spending extra for tips, excursions, laundry, etc.. No cruise is really all inclusive. Have a good time.

[Brissle]

OK, thank you everyone.

Was worth asking the question anyway !

We're very much looking forward to our first Oceania experience.

I'll talk to my TA about this.

Happy cruising.

[KatieBelle]

Hello Brissle,

 

I took a look at your itinerary and noticed that O Life choices are available to you.  You may have already chosen one of the other options, however, $800 shipboard credit is an option if this is important to you.  Hopefully, your TA is offering to cover your gratuities which on a 14 day cruise would be a nice perk.  

 

I also noticed that you are in the UK.  This may impact your O Life choices.  Seems that I have previously read that there is a difference between UK, Canada, and US booking options.  Maybe others will offer their insight and clarifications.

 

-Katie

[Shawnino]

12 hours ago, mdpa said:

Amex Platinum gives you some OBC.

 

Only in the US I think.

I'm in Canada and I don't get it.

[juliet]

From what I can see the OBC is not really that.  When I made my reservation recently and clicked on the OBC which was $300/pp the end price was $300/pp higher.  Doesn't make any sense to me.  Last year we took it and used it to pay the tips with some left over which I had to spend on something I otherwise wouldn't have bought.  This time I'm not taking it and will just pay the tips on my credit card.

[Andee]

We used ***** to find a Travel Agent and have booked several Oceania cruises with her because she pays gratuities, gives us a sizable refundable OBC, and us incredibly responsive. 

Other posters have said their TAs do the same.

[juliet]

Yes, my travel agent is giving us a very nice OBC too.  It's the Oceania perk that is a wash in the end.

[Brissle]

OK thanks again.

I checked with our TA.

It seems that when we booked this in July 2018, we were given an early booker's discount plus a discount from my TA as regular customers.

 

We do have O Life options and it appears that at the time of booking we chose the House Select beverage package with the recommendation from our TA that most of her customers take that then upgrade to the Prestige package onboard for $20pp per day.    We visit only 2 or 3 ports that we haven't been to before so the 8 free shore excursions were not of interest. The other choice was $800 OBC, which would have covered the tips with $150 to spare.  We are not heavy drinkers, but are likely to want to enjoy drinks in the bar before lunch and dinner and late evening, so the Prestige package looks like the right choice for us.  But everyone is different, of course.

[Paulchili]

7 hours ago, juliet said:

It's the Oceania perk that is a wash in the end.

Yes and no.

If you choose the OBC option from O life it will be “a wash” - the cruise will cost you the same amount extra that your OBC is worth. However, if instead of OBC you choose excursions they can be worth up to twice as much (if you could choose excursions that are all at $199). In reality, the average included excursions are about $150 so you would get 50% extra value with your O Life (and more if you can choose excursions at $179 or $189). As we don’t drink, I cannot tell you the value of the O Life beverage package vs the OBC (I guess it depends on how much you drink😀 .

[Mura]

Paul, I DO drink although Howard does not.  Well, he drinks a little ... but usually from MY glass of wine at dinner.

 

But we don't consider the drink package either.  We don't go to bars except VERY occasionally.  I will bring some wine and perhaps a bottle of alcohol on board with us for consumption in the room.  (I'm likely to bring my own bottle of wine to dinner and pay the corkage.)  If we're in a top suite we'll mostly get wine with our six bottles and perhaps a bottle of vodka.  (Oenophiles will say the wines aren't great and I agree -- they aren't.  But the ones we've selected have at least been drinkable.  Actually, somewhat better than drinkable.  But WE aren't oenophiles ...)

 

But there is no way that the drink package would be worth it for us.  For people who want a wine or beer at lunch, perhaps another around the pool, a pre-dinner drink at a bar and wine with dinner ... maybe even a post-dinner drink.  For THEM the package is certainly worth it. It is a matter of choice for everyone.

 

As I've said before, one reason I don't take the package (ignoring Howard!) is that I don't want to be limited to the wines that are available on the package.  I much prefer to buy a bottle from the list OR bring on my own and pay the corkage.  When the package came into existence I did consider using it but when I saw that my wine choices were so limited I discarded the idea.

 

But we also don't have wine or beer at lunch or around the pool, don't go to bars, don't have post-dinner drinks either ...

 

There are a number of people who object to passing over a card when they buy a drink.  That's something else that has never bothered us!  We certainly wouldn't pay $60pp for the privilege of not having to sign a chit ...

 

To each his/her own!  No one is wrong.

 

Mura

[victory2020]

I have  $300 OBC I believe given to me by the cruise line & I'll be getting another $100 in shareholder OBC. Can I use it to pay tips?

[Hawaiidan]

On 4/23/2019 at 3:04 PM, Brissle said:

Hi we are sailing on Marina in November Barcelona to Rio.

First time on an Oceania cruise.

Does anyone know of any scheme for first timers to obtain on-board credit?

My package doesn't include any OBC.

When we sailed with Silversea last year another passenger on the Roll Call suggested that I should be sponsored by a regular Silversea passenger and this worked and gave us a decent on board credit.

Is there a similar scheme with Oceania?

 

 

Scheme????  Nothing shady...     I suggest you  don't worry and just leave it to you credit card to settle a month after the cruise, get points and benefits and an interest free loan for almost 2 months.    VS  having to take your money now and give it to someone months in advance of the bills and interest free ?      What  possible advantage ?    You could loose more than you save spending in advance.

If your  going to go out to dinner in May,  Do you send  restaurants  money in advance ?      If your going to buy a Suit    do you send the tailor money, not knowing the bill?       

[Hawaiidan]

2 hours ago, victory2020 said:

I have  $300 OBC I believe given to me by the cruise line & I'll be getting another $100 in shareholder OBC. Can I use it to pay tips?

You will be AUTO billed against your OBC    So  if your on a 10 day cruise at $36 a day ( for 2) your  $400 is already down to a net $40.00    No you can not use it for cash to pay  people

[Hawaiidan]

On 4/24/2019 at 7:13 AM, Andee said:

We used ***** to find a Travel Agent and have booked several Oceania cruises with her because she pays gratuities, gives us a sizable refundable OBC, and us incredibly responsive. 

Other posters have said their TAs do the same.

Yup... they do............and more   I have the same guy for 15 years.....  the longer the relation the more the rewards...Loyalty pays too

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, victory2020 said:

I have  $300 OBC I believe given to me by the cruise line & I'll be getting another $100 in shareholder OBC. Can I use it to pay tips?

Yes

The only thing you cannot use the OBC for is the casino

enjoy the cruise

[Brissle]

Hawaiidan - the "scheme" operated by Silversea does not require any payment up front - why should it?  If they are giving ME some OBC why would I need to pay them money.?

 

As we've already established Oceana do not have a similar promotion for first timers, so my original question has been usefully dealt with as you will see if you look at earlier replies.

 

Thanks to everyone for your input.

 

[Hawaiidan]

2 hours ago, Brissle said:

Hawaiidan - the "scheme" operated by Silversea does not require any payment up front - why should it?  If they are giving ME some OBC why would I need to pay them money.?

 

As we've already established Oceana do not have a similar promotion for first timers, so my original question has been usefully dealt with as you will see if you look at earlier replies.

 

Thanks to everyone for your input.

 

The term scheme to my understanding is a crooked plot or plan. something under the table, dishonest.    NEVER heard of it used in positive reference only negative.... hence my reaction

[LHT28]

59 minutes ago, Brissle said:

Hawaiidan - the "scheme" operated by Silversea does not require any payment up front - why should it?  If they are giving ME some OBC why would I need to pay them money.?

 

 

Some here  have a problem with reading & comprehension 

I would ignore them 😉

just my opinion

[babysteps]

3 hours ago, Hawaiidan said:

The term scheme to my understanding is a crooked plot or plan. something under the table, dishonest.    NEVER heard of it used in positive reference only negative.... hence my reaction

Yes in the U.S. However... 

 

In British English "scheme" is often more akin to 'merican English "program" or "plan". 

[ORV]

I can remember in the past, not recently, that I’ve got a mailing from Oceania where if you recommend  another passenger, and they book on a cruise you are booked on, then you and them both get an obc.  Of course it came about a week before the cruise.

[Hawaiidan]

16 hours ago, babysteps said:

Yes in the U.S. However... 

 

In British English "scheme" is often more akin to 'merican English "program" or "plan". 

Understood. it just sounds  very bad.. 

 There are a few  'British English", accepted terms  that  might be evaluated for international consumption. WE in the USA have our own too,

  I can  think of a few that would get you  possibly arrested as hate speech .... as the political correct folks tend to enforce  from their self anointed  pulpits.  .

 

[Brissle]

20 hours ago, ORV said:

I can remember in the past, not recently, that I’ve got a mailing from Oceania where if you recommend  another passenger, and they book on a cruise you are booked on, then you and them both get an obc.  Of course it came about a week before the cruise.

 

That is exactly what we had with our first cruise with Silversea and I was hoping something similar might have operated with Oceania.  Another regular Silversea passenger "sponsored" us and they and we received a chunk of OBC.