OLife Choice: is it worth it

[stevenr597]

My wife and I are booked on the Atlantic Horizon's Cruise:  Barcelona to Miami, November, 2020. 

We usually fly business class using our frequent flyer credits. 

However, we did notice that if one picks the OLife Choice, one option is 8 free shore excursions and an $800.00 Shipboard Credit. Should we instead fly with the OLife Choice and get the credit and 8 shore excursions.  Taking the OLife Choice would add $2000.00 to our cruise fair.

[Paulchili]

I think you are a little confused about O Life.

First - O Life and air are 2 separate issues. You can take O Life without using Oceania’s air (get air credit instead).

Second - O Life (in US at least) will give you a choice of ONE of three - either excursions OR OBC OR drinks package. So you would not get both - the excursions and OBC (unless there is a special promo when all 3 choices are included - very rare in US).

Getting O Life adds $100/per excursion to your fare.

In your case, when they talk about O Life excursions, you get 8 excursions per cabin (4 per person). Thus your fare should go up by $400/pp over what the fare would be without O Life.

Edited July 30, 2019 by Paulchili

[Flatbush Flyer]

6 minutes ago, stevenr597 said:

My wife and I are booked on the Atlantic Horizon's Cruise:  Barcelona to Miami, November, 2020. 

We usually fly business class using our frequent flyer credits. 

However, we did notice that if one picks the OLife Choice, one option is 8 free shore excursions and an $800.00 Shipboard Credit. Should we instead fly with the OLife Choice and get the credit and 8 shore excursions.  Taking the OLife Choice would add $2000.00 to our cruise fair.

You can take the O Life perks AND still get an air credit (go through mock booking on O web site and check "no air." The new price subtracted from the previous price on first screen tells you the air credit).We do that and apply the air savings (often along w/FF miles) to DIY biz class air tix.

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

I think you are a little confused about O Life.

First - O Life and air are 2 separate issues. You can take O Life without using Oceania’s air (get air credit instead).

Second - O Life (in US at least) will give you a choice of ONE of three - either excursions OR OBC OR drinks package. So you would not get both - the excursions and OBC.

Getting O Life adds $100/per excursion to your fare.

In your case, when they talk about O Life excursions, you get 8 excursions per cabin (4 per person). Thus your fare should go up by $400/pp over what the fare would be without O Life.

It is now much easier to pick between SBC and excursions. In your cruise account on the O website, shop for the excursions in which you are interested. If you initially selected tours as your O Life perk, the very intuitive "cart" will assign the highest priced of the "allowable" (no OS or OE) O Life tours to your perk at $0 each). Note that these also count towards the minimum number of tours required for the 25% YWYW discount on your cruise. Then do the math: if the average value of your selected O Life tours is more than $100 each, the O Life tours perk is more valuable than the straight SBC offered. 

BTW, the booze perk is upgradable to the unlimited Prestige Package for $20/person/day more. The bottom line value of the booze package really depends on your personal consumption et al. factors like carting your own wine, free booze events/invites, etc.

[LHT28]

Sometimes it will work out  with the O Life perk & no air

Find out what the air credit  will be 

then compare to  the "Cruise  only " fare

You can then make an informed  decision on it it is "worth it " to you

 

I find on the TA cruises  it can be worth it 

we also took the PE special airfare  to fly back from  the UK in the Spring   ..we also pay the deviation to fly in or out on different dates from the cruise dates

We do not have FF points so paying for BUS is a luxury  for us

YMMV

[Paulchili]

9 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

It is now much easier to pick between SBC and excursions

FF - I am well aware of all of the info you provided 

Perhaps you meant to address the OP and not me? 😁

Edited July 30, 2019 by Paulchili

[Flatbush Flyer]

7 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

FF - I am well aware of all of the info you provided 

Perhaps you meant to address the OP and not me? 😁

Yes- was just adding to your comments for benefit of OP.

[Hawaiidan]

Bottom line    is your not getting anything for  "FREE"  your paying for it.   O life is for the most part, base fare + the O life perk value        

Take the cruise line base fare   which is without AIR  and  spend on what you want on board in what ever ratio    mix of Shore Ex/ Liquor, OBC...    Its all your choice.          As to FF miles, better check the new dynamic pricing is changing all the rules   You can spend 60,000 miles ot 240,000 depending on the day , time, and flight....  It is not the same old game....

[ORV]

Confused yet?

 

In all fairness to the OP it's Oceania's marketing that confuses new cruisers to them. Perhaps on purpose, not everyone will ask questions beforehand. 

[Hawaiidan]

1 hour ago, ORV said:

Confused yet?

 

In all fairness to the OP it's Oceania's marketing that confuses new cruisers to them. Perhaps on purpose, not everyone will ask questions beforehand. 

Rather than you paying to get some free benefit that  you actually paid for,  why not arrange your own tours at 1/2 to 1/4 the O cost,  have your agent give you a gratis OBC/ Gratuities  and buy a liquor package for  any or all days....    remember  the OBC, Shore ex  are for THE CABIN not PER Person   you $800 becomes $400pp    Your 6 shore ex's  become 3 pp  and are limited to a few specific tours..not every one.             The way it is written for you to read  is with O like you get to choose what perks you get...... without doing the math to realize that the O life perks is  all paid for by you....

[StanandJim]

12 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

Rather than you paying to get some free benefit that  you actually paid for,  why not arrange your own tours at 1/2 to 1/4 the O cost,  have your agent give you a gratis OBC/ Gratuities  and buy a liquor package for  any or all days....    remember  the OBC, Shore ex  are for THE CABIN not PER Person   you $800 becomes $400pp    Your 6 shore ex's  become 3 pp  and are limited to a few specific tours..not every one.   The way it is written for you to read  is with O like you get to choose what perks you get...... without doing the math to realize that the O life perks is  all paid for by you....

Your thoughts are accurate and informative Dan, but I consider myself to be a fairly intelligent person and this message is far too "stream of consciousness" for me to understand.

Personally, I try to re-read my Posts with an eye to who will be reading them before posting.  

 

[clo]

3 hours ago, Hawaiidan said:

 You can spend 60,000 miles ot 240,000 depending on the day , time, and flight....  It is not the same old game....

It sure is not!  One day of travel to the following can be hugely different in points.  It IS a new game.  I didn't go with O air because they can route you any way they want or you can pay more for the routing of your choice.  I think that's correct.  I paid for economy and used points and $$$ to waitlist for business.  It's complicated these days.

[StanandJim]

1 hour ago, clo said:

I didn't go with O air because they can route you any way they want or you can pay more for the routing of your choice.  I think that's correct. 

For others who may be curious, here is how it works:

1) When the passenger opts into the Air Deviation Program, they agree to pay a non refundable $175 change fee.

2) Based on the Passengers  preferences, Oceania then starts  proposing various Air Routings, these routings list any Airline upcharges which may be incurred.

2) Once a meeting of the minds has occurred, the change fee  is assessed and the chosen Route is official 

Edited July 30, 2019 by StanandJim

[LHT28]

Just to clarify

you do not pay the fee until you & Oceania agree on the  flights 

you can choose the flights you want or let Oceania propose the flights  you do not have to accept the 1st  offer

Once you agree   at that point  the fee becomes non refundable  should you change your mind 

so be sure the flights/dates/routing work for you BEFORE  you agree & pay the deviation fee