Grand Voyage

[Redtravel]

Booked a 14 night cruise.  Was told that the deposit was double since it was a GRAND VOYAGE.  What makes it grand?  At the time I was not aware that it was actually 2 one week cruises combined.  Have taken b2b cruises many times. I prefer a continuous 2 week cruise without a turn around day.  They always seem to cut down on services on the turn around day.  Maybe I am missing something.  Is there any advantage to booking it as a grand voyage instead of 2 one week cruises?   On some lines, they offer extras for b2b cruisers like OBC, free laundry, etc. I love the free unlimited same day laundry service on Windstar.  Any 14+nights gets you that.   I cannot recall any extras on Oceania.   I did a similar cruise on Oceania 2 years ago not knowing it was also a b2b.  Aside from only getting one credit instead of getting 2 and paying double deposit, the cruise was the same.  My fcc was accepted for the deposit.  No money needed until final payment.  Am I missing something? 

[Flatbush Flyer]

6 minutes ago, Redtravel said:

Booked a 14 night cruise.  Was told that the deposit was double since it was a GRAND VOYAGE.  What makes it grand?  At the time I was not aware that it was actually 2 one week cruises combined.  Have taken b2b cruises many times. I prefer a continuous 2 week cruise without a turn around day.  They always seem to cut down on services on the turn around day.  Maybe I am missing something.  Is there any advantage to booking it as a grand voyage instead of 2 one week cruises?   On some lines, they offer extras for b2b cruisers like OBC, free laundry, etc. I love the free unlimited same day laundry service on Windstar.  Any 14+nights gets you that.   I cannot recall any extras on Oceania.   I did a similar cruise on Oceania 2 years ago not knowing it was also a b2b.  Aside from only getting one credit instead of getting 2 and paying double deposit, the cruise was the same.  My fcc was accepted for the deposit.  No money needed until final payment.  Am I missing something? 

Grand Voyage is a bit of an antiquated Oceania term but those words still reside on the website search feature as a "region." The modern term is called "extended journey," which is a published cruise consisting of two or more segments. The main value of booking an "extended journey" is that its price is usually significantly less than the total of the involved segments - even if you were able to book them as a single, custom "combination cruise" (an official Oceania term for putting together multiple segments not already advertised as an "extended journey)." Combination cruise get a 5% discount (again, usually less than the "extended journey" version).

 

It's all kind of a moot issue since there's no longer a choice. If multi-segments are advertised as "extended journeys", you cannot book them as a "combination cruise."

 

If you're a gold or higher O Club member, the O Club perks do come into play. Combination cruises get some of the perks (e.g., O Club SBC) per segment while extended journeys get them per cruise. But, again, most often the extended journey bottom line MAY be the better deal (and even if not, you're still required to use "extended journey" when it's advertised.

 

[LHT28]

I have not done Grand voyage  but  if they are sold separately   on turnaround day you will probably get  invited to a private lunch in the GDR for  B2B people   you can avoid  the melee at the Terrace

We usually go ashore  so have not taken advantage of it

 

Are they sold as 7 day cruises as well?

 I am surprised than it requires 2 deposits if  a GV & not  a B2B

[Paulchili]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

Are they sold as 7 day cruises as well?

 I am surprised than it requires 2 deposits if  a GV & not  a B2B

+1

[Hawaiidan]

29 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

+1

I am on a "grand voyage  and yes it was double and the final payment date was like 150 day out not 90 as well.   However, It was at least 5% or more cheaper than booking 2 segments in back to back   In fact saved me a good  chunk of change and  they threw in prepaid gratuities in addition to the 5%....   One advantage is that they allow restaurant reservations to be made at time of final payment......

Or for the code people:     IFIWWMABFFAB...+ GPPGFTCG...  AQTYMHCM

[Paulchili]

8 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

I am on a "grand voyage  and yes it was double and the final payment date was like 150 day out not 90 as well.   However, It was at least 5% or more cheaper than booking 2 segments in back to back   In fact saved me a good  chunk of change and  they threw in prepaid gratuities in addition to the 5%....   One advantage is that they allow restaurant reservations to be made at time of final payment......

Or for the code people:     IFIWWMABFFAB...+ GPPGFTCG...  AQTYMHCM

I guess it can vary from cruise to cruise - have to do the math.

I had two 7 day cruises booked as B2B a couple of years ago. That meant that I got 2 cruise credits, two times Plat. benefits (OBC & spas). The price of one segment went down in price and I was able to take advantage of that as they were 2 separate cruises. All in all I came out ahead by having a B2B vs extended voyage.

[Redtravel]

It just seemed odd that it was called GRAND.  We are not talking about a long trip.  2 weeks is not a world cruise.  We have taken lots of 2 week cruises.  Often we cruise longer and do land visits on both ends.  The extra Oceania Club point would be nice. Will look at pricing again as we get closer to final payment.  For now, we are staying home waiting out the pandemic.  Since we have had other cruises canceled because of the pandemic, we will wait and see what happens. Our luck, this cruise will get canned too. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 hours ago, Redtravel said:

It just seemed odd that it was called GRAND.  We are not talking about a long trip.  2 weeks is not a world cruise.  We have taken lots of 2 week cruises.  Often we cruise longer and do land visits on both ends.  The extra Oceania Club point would be nice. Will look at pricing again as we get closer to final payment.  For now, we are staying home waiting out the pandemic.  Since we have had other cruises canceled because of the pandemic, we will wait and see what happens. Our luck, this cruise will get canned too. 

As I said previously, the label Grand Voyage WAS used years ago to describe multi-segment cruises marketed as a single cruise with a single booking number and its own unique name. Many/most of these cruises were more than two segments and they had their own section in the glitzy catalogs and had some extra perks like free laundry. 

 

At that time, you could also book adjacent segments in a "custom" (B2B) cruise and you got a discount (approx. 5%) on the total price OR you could book them separately if you wanted multiple O Club perks, air credits and cruise credits. Which way was the better "deal" varied (e.g., were the total gold/platinum SBCs more than the "custom" cruise discount).

 

Things changed several years ago when O decided to more aggressively market numerous multi-segment cruises and offer deeper discount prices on them (offset somewhat by eliminating the ability to book them separately and get multiple O Club perks et al.). And they gave the marketed multi-segment cruises the label "extended journeys."

 

However, while use of the old term Grand Voyage was eliminated in the booking process, it stayed as a Region in the website search function, which is where you can find all the "extended journeys" listed. That said, you can still create your own "combination cruise" (official O name) from multiple adjacent segments (that are not marketed as an extended journey) and get a 5% discount. But, you can no longer book adjacent segments as separate cruises (and if your TA tries to do that, O will catch/correct the error).

 

So, bottom line: on O, you can book a single segment. a published multi-segment "extended journey" or a multi-segment "combination cruise" (if it's not an "extended journey") But, FWIW, "back-to-back (B2B)" is not a term in the Oceania dictionary.

 

 

 

[LHT28]

7 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

As I said previously, the label Grand Voyage WAS used years ago to describe multi-segment cruises marketed as a single cruise with a single booking number and its own unique name.

 

The term  Grand Voyages is  STILL  is used on Oceania  to market extended cruises

 

I guess is sounds more exciting than" Extended voyages "

The last time I got a Brochure (years ago)   they were marketing some  as extended voyages  basically  2 or more cruises hooked together 

 

Just  another way of promoting  B2B's  so they do not give you the  extra cruise credit  😉

 

 

 

[Shawnino]

More GRAND Marketesespeak, like the "2-for-1" Fares...

[Flatbush Flyer]

51 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

The term  Grand Voyages is  STILL  is used on Oceania  to market extended cruises

 

I guess is sounds more exciting than" Extended voyages "

The last time I got a Brochure (years ago)   they were marketing some  as extended voyages  basically  2 or more cruises hooked together 

 

Just  another way of promoting  B2B's  so they do not give you the  extra cruise credit  😉

 

 

 

If you reread my post you'll find that I mentioned this Grand Voyage "artifact":

However, while use of the old term Grand Voyage was eliminated in the booking process, it stayed as a Region in the website search function, which is where you can find all the "extended journeys" listed.

 

According to a trusted IT source at O, the major website overhaul of approx. 2 years ago remains a "work in progress" and changing the term has been a "low priority" (i.e., don't want to confuse us geezer regulars; it sounds good, etc). 

 

That said, what has changed is that, until recently (when the look/function of "find a cruise" changed significantly [and for the better]), the "Extended Journeys" were only found in the Region choice named "Grand Voyages." But, if you now search in any Region, you will see that region's "Extended Journeys" listed.

 

For example: A look at the new itineraries or Europe/Med will find some itinerary situations where you can get from a 40 day+ Start port to End port in four different configurations ranging from two extended journeys (of two segments each) to a mix of extended journeys plus single segments to four separate segments (which, as a reminder, you could not book as four separate cruises since they are offered as extended journeys). As recently as last year, you'd only find the "extended journeys" (in those configurations) listed in the "Grand Voyages" Region. But, now they appear in the actual specific Regions as well. 

 

Bottom line: if the price/perks mix on multi-segment cruises is an important issue for you, get your calculator and do the math (or have your TA do it (IF they fully understand the finer points of the O policies regarding "extended journeys" and "combination cruises."

 

 

[ORV]

14 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

offset somewhat by eliminating the ability to book them separately and get multiple O Club perks et al.)

Not sure when you think it changed but as recently as Dec of 19 I was on two 10 day back to back cruises, and received 2 credits, plus my perks for each cruise. Or maybe I should be quiet

[ORV]

I can't seem to find the chart that shows the day breakdown on how many credits you earn for O Club. Does anyone have a link to that?

[Flatbush Flyer]

19 minutes ago, ORV said:

Not sure when you think it changed but as recently as Dec of 19 I was on two 10 day back to back cruises, and received 2 credits, plus my perks for each cruise. Or maybe I should be quiet

If you reread my first post regarding this you'll notice that I said:

Combination cruises get some of the perks (e.g., O Club SBC) per segment while extended journeys get them per cruise.

 

What you had was a "combination cruise," which can be booked when the multi-segments you want are not already advertised as an "extended journey." With the combination cruise you do get the perks/credits per segment. But the price discount is only 5%. Had the two segments been advertised as an "extended journey,"' you would have had to book it that way and you'd receive a much more significant price discount. But, you'd only get one set of perks.

As I said previously, depending on the particular itineraries and your O Club level, sometimes "combination" is better than "extended" (but you don't have an option of doing it as "combination" when it is marketed as "extended."

[Flatbush Flyer]

26 minutes ago, ORV said:

I can't seem to find the chart that shows the day breakdown on how many credits you earn for O Club. Does anyone have a link to that?

 

[ORV]

14 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

If you reread my first post regarding this you'll notice that I said:

Combination cruises get some of the perks (e.g., O Club SBC) per segment while extended journeys get them per cruise.

 

What you had was a "combination cruise," which can be booked when the multi-segments you want are not already advertised as an "extended journey." With the combination cruise you do get the perks/credits per segment. But the price discount is only 5%. Had the two segments been advertised as an "extended journey,"' you would have had to book it that way and you'd receive a much more significant price discount. But, you'd only get one set of perks.

As I said previously, depending on the particular itineraries and your O Club level, sometimes "combination" is better than "extended" (but you don't have an option of doing it as "combination" when it is marketed as "extended."

Got it, thanks. I missed that and I thought you were saying booking two in a row as separate cruises wasn't allowed. Lot's of words there, easy to get confused. Now I see it's only the ones marketed as Extended that can't be booked separately. 

13 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

 

Thanks for that, but where is it on their website? I searched and searched and couldn't find it. Wouldn't you know a cruise I was looking seriously at is 24 days. Might rethink that one. 

Edited November 13, 2020 by ORV

[Flatbush Flyer]

36 minutes ago, ORV said:

Got it, thanks. I missed that and I thought you were saying booking two in a row as separate cruises wasn't allowed. Lot's of words there, easy to get confused. Now I see it's only the ones marketed as Extended that can't be booked separately. 

Thanks for that, but where is it on their website? I searched and searched and couldn't find it. Wouldn't you know a cruise I was looking seriously at is 24 days. Might rethink that one. 

It can be very confusing!

 

Like which booking type gets what perks, the extended journey limitation on separate bookings appears nowhere online. 

Kind of like FCCs not appearing in your online profile and rules about redepositing them also not being explained online.

 

My knowledge (which, though we book mostly multi-segment cruises, is far from comprehensive) comes from many discussions with O Club Ambassadors, some home office folks and several O Top selling TAs. And believe me: sometimes even they all disagree.

 

And just when I think I'm on top of it, I get a curve ball because of another policy change. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, ORV said:

Got it, thanks. I missed that and I thought you were saying booking two in a row as separate cruises wasn't allowed. Lot's of words there, easy to get confused. Now I see it's only the ones marketed as Extended that can't be booked separately. 

Thanks for that, but where is it on their website? I searched and searched and couldn't find it. Wouldn't you know a cruise I was looking seriously at is 24 days. Might rethink that one. 

See if the 24 day cruise is also listed as two separate smaller cruises (e.g., 10+12 days). If so, look at the O Life price difference (both with and without air tix). 

[ORV]

On 11/13/2020 at 6:06 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

See if the 24 day cruise is also listed as two separate smaller cruises (e.g., 10+12 days). If so, look at the O Life price difference (both with and without air tix). 

I looked at it again and it's only a 22 day cruise, and it's listed separately, or with the one before it, and the one after it. I haven't gotten serious enough to actually worry about looking at numbers. I'm not going to waste much time on calculations until Oceania actually has a product they can deliver. 

[Hawaiidan]

On 11/13/2020 at 2:38 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

 

An interesting addendum is that looking forward to 2022, many of the grand cruises are below the 25 day threshold for 2 credits per cruise.    Very few above 25.    Possibly an effort to control the accrual of O credits at a more  rapid/ economical basis.      Example in My 26 day 2 credit cruise in 2021 is being operated in 2022 as a 21 day 1 credit cruise but at a higher perday  fare than 2021.       

Just an observation that I noticed.....

[Flatbush Flyer]

8 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

An interesting addendum is that looking forward to 2022, many of the grand cruises are below the 25 day threshold for 2 credits per cruise.    Very few above 25.    Possibly an effort to control the accrual of O credits at a more  rapid/ economical basis.      Example in My 26 day 2 credit cruise in 2021 is being operated in 2022 as a 21 day 1 credit cruise but at a higher perday  fare than 2021.       

Just an observation that I noticed.....

....and an "observation" I'm dealing with right now: two adjacent "extended journeys" of 24 and 23 days in November/December 2022.

 

Since multiple "extended journeys" cannot be booked as a single "combination cruise" for added discount, that means 1 cruise credit for each instead of 4 cruise credits (1 each for the original four segments or 4 for a 47 day cruise).

 

There's also the Platinum SBC issue which would total $2000 for four segments and is only $1000 for the 2 extended journeys.

 

However, the Extended Journeys discounted prices are far better than would have been a four part combination cruise (undoable anyway). And the bottom line is almost a "wash" with all $ types (cash, discounts, credits, SBC) considered together.

 

We've also got multiple FCCs in play and a Future Cruise Deposit Certificate with its own price discount and policies.

 

Do you have a headache yet? I do.

(Not really- it's worth the math time for this particular bottom line).

 

BTW, For anyone considering using the new late 2022 itineraries for application of multiple FCCs issued at varying times throughout this Covid year, DO CHECK on what might be very different "book by/cruise by" deadlines for their use. AND note that FCC users are eating up these cabins as quickly as they have done the 2021 ones.

[Hawaiidan]

27 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

....and an "observation" I'm dealing with right now: two adjacent "extended journeys" of 24 and 23 days in November/December 2022.

 

Since multiple "extended journeys" cannot be booked as a single "combination cruise" for added discount, that means 1 cruise credit for each instead of 4 cruise credits (1 each for the original four segments or 4 for a 47 day cruise).

 

There's also the Platinum SBC issue which would total $2000 for four segments and is only $1000 for the 2 extended journeys.

 

However, the Extended Journeys discounted prices are far better than would have been a four part combination cruise (undoable anyway). And the bottom line is almost a "wash" with all $ types (cash, discounts, credits, SBC) considered together.

 

We've also got multiple FCCs in play and a Future Cruise Deposit Certificate with its own price discount and policies.

 

Do you have a headache yet? I do.

(Not really- it's worth the math time for this particular bottom line).

 

BTW, For anyone considering using the new late 2022 itineraries for application of multiple FCCs issued at varying times throughout this Covid year, DO CHECK on what might be very different "book by/cruise by" deadlines for their use. AND note that FCC users are eating up these cabins as quickly as they have done the 2021 ones.

I would hazard a guess that these changes are for the most part going to be in Oceania's favor for most people taking longer  or any cruise in the future!.   ( Much akin to the recent changes in airline point accrual and point use.)  

 

As far as the use of" Forward Cruise Credits";  My cruise is already wait listed in over 50% of the available cabins for a Sept/October cruise would indicate such as it is like 10-11 months out at this date..  

[Redtravel]

In essence the term Grand Voyage gets you one cruise credit and requires a double deposit.   I booked a 14 night cruise. O club counting each cruise as one point is out of date. Most loyalty programs count number of nights. Some cruise lines award extra points for more expensive suites.  It’s time for O to count nights.  

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

11 minutes ago, Redtravel said:

In essence the term Grand Voyage gets you one cruise credit and requires a double deposit.   I booked a 14 night cruise. O club counting each cruise as one point is out of date. Most loyalty programs count number of nights. Some cruise lines award extra points for more expensive suites.  It’s time for O to count nights.  

 

No. 

Firstly, (again) there's no such thing as a "grand voyage." It's an artifact title still on the website from years ago.

What you are referring to is an "extended journey" (which is what it is booked as). And you get the cruise credits based on its length. If you book a 25 day cruise, it would be 2 cruise credits. But 24 or less days only get 1 credit. And 45 days = 4 credits, etc.

The bottom line is that the price discount for an extended journey is very significant when compared to the total cost of its included segments. But, it often means loss of a cruise credit or two (all depending on itinerary lengths) and multiple O Club perks. But, it's all moot because you can't separately book all the segments together that are in an "extended journey."

 

ALWAYS DO THE MATH.

[Paulchili]

2 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

But, it's all moot because you can't separately book all the segments together that are in an "extended journey."

What will happen if you book the first segment of an extended voyage (provided it is available as a separate cruise) with one booking # and a month later you book the following segment with a different booking #?

Will O combine it for you into one extended journey?