Free 20th milestone cruise

[muth cruiser]

In the 19 cruises I have taken with Oceania, I have never encountered any problems booking the cruise.  I wish I could say the same about my 20th free milestone cruise.

 

 I started the reservation on June 3rd and they still don’t have it correct.  First, they are making my husband take his free cruise at the same time, although he is only at 18.  Not a big deal but it did cause some communication problems.

 

Then it took 3 weeks to get the air I wanted for my husband.  I booked my own air because I wanted business class and now they are still trying to charge me for my air.

 

The invoice has never been correct.  Currently they are charging me full price, including air I am not using, and show my husband as free.

 

Today  was the first day to make dinner reservations and they would not let me because I have not paid for my free cruise.

 

Has anyone else encountered problems booking their milestone cruises?

[DOJO466]

You need a good travel agent

[muth cruiser]

I do have a good travel agent.  That’s probably why I have never had any problems booking cruises in the past.

 

Part  of the reason I did not want this to be my husband’s free cruise was then I could have used my TA.  Since both cruises are free there would be no TA commission so I did not turn it over to my TA.

[StanandJim]

2 hours ago, muth cruiser said:

Part  of the reason I did not want this to be my husband’s free cruise was then I could have used my TA.  Since both cruises are free there would be no TA commission so I did not turn it over to my TA.

Any Agent with a client who has booked 20 cruises with ANY line (even the really cheapo ones) would be happy to arrange the free cruise as a courtesy.

In addition to that, the contacts that they make at Oceania in the course of  arranging that free cruise, would be invaluable to them.

 

 

[ORV]

No issues here. I used their air since it was included in the free cruise. No credit for it. 

[Tranquility Base]

Some questions please regarding the booking of this cruise:

 

1. Do you actually have to have earned the credits, or is a future booking which will qualify you be enough in order to book now.

Obviously for a date that is after that future cruise where the qualifying credits will be earned:

 

2. Is there any limit as to how far in the future you can book;

 

3. Can you select a cabin or is it a guarantee.

 

Thanks.

 

 

[LHT28]

3 minutes ago, Tranquility Base said:

Some questions please regarding the booking of this cruise:

 

1. Do you actually have to have earned the credits, or is a future booking which will qualify you be enough in order to book now.

 

 

You actually have to set foot on the ship to get your cruise credit 

 

[Tranquility Base]

13 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

You actually have to set foot on the ship to get your cruise credit 

 

OK, thanks.

So once you've started the cruise which will qualify you with enough credits  you can book.

 

Does that mean your free cruise doesn't need to be the one immediately after your qualifying cruise.

IE: You can book normal cruises which will follow your qualifying cruise and book your free one for a later date.

 

 

Edited August 31, 2019 by Tranquility Base

[Paulchili]

8 minutes ago, Tranquility Base said:

Does that mean your free cruise doesn't need to be the one immediately after your qualifying cruise.

IE: You can book normal cruises which will follow your qualifying cruise and book your free one at a later date.

 

 

Your free cruise MUST be your #20 cruise - period. No exceptions AFAIK.

The cabin will be in the category that your previous 19 cruises averaged in.

Edited August 31, 2019 by Paulchili

[Tranquility Base]

55 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

Your free cruise MUST be your #20 cruise - period. No exceptions AFAIK.

Ok, thanks.

 

In that case can you still book a cruise which follows your qualifying cruise using normal procedures.

Then once you are physically onboard your qualifying cruise have it changed to your free one ?

(Assume in this case still outside the normal cancelation deadlines) 

Edited August 31, 2019 by Tranquility Base

[Paulchili]

6 minutes ago, Tranquility Base said:

Ok, thanks.

 

In that case can you still book a cruise which follows your qualifying cruise using normal procedures.

Then once you are physically onboard your qualifying cruise have it changed to your free one ?

(Assume in this case still outside the normal cancelation deadlines) 

This sounds right with one possible caveat.

I seem to remember - but I could be wrong - that the “free” cruise must be booked at least 6 months in advance.

Others may chime in about this.

[LHT28]

5 minutes ago, Tranquility Base said:

Ok, thanks.

 

In that case can you still book a cruise which follows your qualifying cruise using normal procedures.

Then once you are physically onboard your qualifying cruise have it changed to your free one ?

(Assume in this case still outside the normal cancelation deadlines) 

There are restrictions in choosing your free cruise

 I am sure someone will have all the in's & outs  but best to talk with your TA or Oceania  to get all the details

 

[StanandJim]

8 hours ago, Paulchili said:

This sounds right with one possible caveat.

I seem to remember - but I could be wrong - that the “free” cruise must be booked at least 6 months in advance.

Others may chime in about this.

+1 Paul.  

Switching the Rez for the 20th cruise, during the previous cruise would not be allowed.

 

 

[ORV]

Maybe it's too early for me, but I'm not really understanding the last conversation. 

 

But, as has been said more than once, this is a job for your TA. 

[golfguyhhi]

Orv,

 

I thought I understood from a post of yours a while ago that you booked your 20th cruise while you were on your 17th or 18th, and had already booked your 19th.  Do I remember correctly that you were able to declare your 20th even before you stepped aboard your 19th?  My 19th will either be the first leg of a b2b2b (for which the middle leg is the 20th) or will precede the 20th by 2 or 3 weeks, depending on the schedule Oceania releases next April for the December 2021-February 2022 period.

I'm hoping I won't have to complete the 19th more than 6 months before I want to actually take my 20th.

Your sage guidance is requested (and thanks in advance)

Oh, and by the way, my head was also exploding at the thought of someone stockpiling specialty dining reservations they didn't want to use with the thought of trading them for reservations in restaurants they did want.  I wonder if there's a category on E-Bay for these transactions. 

[BarbaraM]

There are many ways you can lose the "free" cruise benefit -- I found it helpful to email Oceania Club directly.

You can book what you think might be your 20th cruise -- after you do this, you can let Oceania know you will 

be applying the benefit, and close to final payment you let them know again it will be the benefit cruise, and your

invoice will be adjusted.  I tried (not successful although others have reported differently) to take another cruise before the

"free" cruise, but was told that was not possible.  I would caution being very careful about booking your benefit cruise.  I "think" the 6 month booking has some wiggle room.  I just booked the cruise I wanted, and the benefits were applied closer to sailing. 

No idea what they do if you take the 19th so close to the benefit cruise... good luck.  I cancelled a cruise and didn't sail with Oceania for a year since they required my next cruise to be my benefit, and we didn't have time to take a 14+ cruise. 

[acritic]

following

[no fuss travel]

Okay I am curious.  We are booked for 2 12 day cruises, one this October and another October 2020.  We are then booked on a 39 day cruise which will be cruise credits 18,  19 and 20 in May 2021.  From what I am reading here, the free cruise would have to apply to this cruise?

[Paulchili]

35 minutes ago, no fuss travel said:

Okay I am curious.  We are booked for 2 12 day cruises, one this October and another October 2020.  We are then booked on a 39 day cruise which will be cruise credits 18,  19 and 20 in May 2021.  From what I am reading here, the free cruise would have to apply to this cruise?

If your 39 day cruise is your # 20 then yes - this will be your “free” cruise. As it is 39 day and you only get 14 days free, you will pay for 25 days.

Better to book a 14 day cruise before that and then you’ll get 2 credits for your 39 day cruise - otherwise you’ll get no credits for it.

Our 20th was a 21 days long cruise and we paid for 7 days (that said, it still didn’t count as a  credited cruise towards the next 20 even though we paid for 7 days, which normally alone would have been a credited cruise)

PS Not sure if I am reading you right. Are your 2  12 days cruises #16 & 17 and the 39 day cruise as #18,19 & 20?

Edited September 1, 2019 by Paulchili

[Tranquility Base]

On 8/31/2019 at 2:30 PM, LHT28 said:

You actually have to set foot on the ship to get your cruise credit 

 

 

1 hour ago, no fuss travel said:

Okay I am curious.  We are booked for 2 12 day cruises, one this October and another October 2020.  We are then booked on a 39 day cruise which will be cruise credits 18,  19 and 20 in May 2021.  From what I am reading here, the free cruise would have to apply to this cruise?

 

1 hour ago, Paulchili said:

If your 39 day cruise is your # 20 then yes - this will be your “free” cruise. As it is 39 day and you only get 14 days free, you will pay for 25 days.

 

Paulchili, I am somewhat confused by your post.

 

If one has to actually be on board in order to gain the credits, how can the same cruise be booked as the free one ?

 

 

[Paulchili]

5 minutes ago, Tranquility Base said:

 

 

Paulchili, I am somewhat confused by your post.

 

If one has to actually be on board in order to gain the credits, how can the same cruise be booked as the free one ?

 

 

You book your free cruise as a regular cruise with a deposit and if by the time the final payment is due and you have 19 cruise credits then your booked 20th cruise becomes the free cruise and you get your deposit back (or credited towards the cruise if over 14 days).

If that cruise is over 14 days, you pay for the extra days - if it is 14 days or less, it’s free (I don’t remember what incidentals you have to pay, if any - like taxes/fees?)

[Tranquility Base]

OK, but I'm just trying to reconcile that with post # 11.

Thanks.

[Paulchili]

On 8/30/2019 at 8:45 PM, Tranquility Base said:

Then once you are physically onboard your qualifying cruise have it changed to your free one ?

What are you calling “qualifying” cruise? Is it your 19th or 20th?

[Tranquility Base]

42 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

What are you calling “qualifying” cruise? Is it your 19th or 20th?

It is both. 

 ie: let's say you have 18 credits and your next cruise will earn 3 credits.

 

BTW: really appreciate your patience & rapid replies.

Learning a lot here.

Edited September 1, 2019 by Tranquility Base

[ORV]

21 hours ago, golfguyhhi said:

Orv,

 

I thought I understood from a post of yours a while ago that you booked your 20th cruise while you were on your 17th or 18th, and had already booked your 19th.  Do I remember correctly that you were able to declare your 20th even before you stepped aboard your 19th?  My 19th will either be the first leg of a b2b2b (for which the middle leg is the 20th) or will precede the 20th by 2 or 3 weeks, depending on the schedule Oceania releases next April for the December 2021-February 2022 period.

I'm hoping I won't have to complete the 19th more than 6 months before I want to actually take my 20th.

Your sage guidance is requested (and thanks in advance)

Oh, and by the way, my head was also exploding at the thought of someone stockpiling specialty dining reservations they didn't want to use with the thought of trading them for reservations in restaurants they did want.  I wonder if there's a category on E-Bay for these transactions. 

Pretty much Paul's answer below is what I did, I knew all along that the cruise that I booked was going to be my free one, I just had to wait until I had taken the 19th before I had it designated as the free one. I'm pretty sure it was more than 6 months after my 19th, so that rule did apply in my case. As mentioned the best route is to have your TA deal with. Ours took care of all the details. 

6 hours ago, Paulchili said:

You book your free cruise as a regular cruise with a deposit and if by the time the final payment is due and you have 19 cruise credits then your booked 20th cruise becomes the free cruise and you get your deposit back (or credited towards the cruise if over 14 days).

If that cruise is over 14 days, you pay for the extra days - if it is 14 days or less, it’s free (I don’t remember what incidentals you have to pay, if any - like taxes/fees?)