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Paid Gratuities


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I don't mean to "beat this dead horse", but, ---How does a $5 cash tip to a bartender get handled?  Does he have to save every transaction slip and show to the purser so the purser can check to see if you removed gratuities?  That seems like a lot of work for the dozen or so bartenders aboard. Bartender would have to "set aside" his cash tips and the transaction slips that produced the tip  for his entire shift and keep track of how much tip money went with each slip.  Lots of work.

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47 minutes ago, zteamtwo said:

I don't mean to "beat this dead horse", but, ---How does a $5 cash tip to a bartender get handled?  Does he have to save every transaction slip and show to the purser so the purser can check to see if you removed gratuities?  That seems like a lot of work for the dozen or so bartenders aboard. Bartender would have to "set aside" his cash tips and the transaction slips that produced the tip  for his entire shift and keep track of how much tip money went with each slip.  Lots of work.

 I believe  the daily Gratuities charged  go to the food wait staff  & Housekeeping

 The bar staff  have a different system

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1 hour ago, zteamtwo said:

I don't mean to "beat this dead horse", but, ---How does a $5 cash tip to a bartender get handled?  Does he have to save every transaction slip and show to the purser so the purser can check to see if you removed gratuities?  That seems like a lot of work for the dozen or so bartenders aboard. Bartender would have to "set aside" his cash tips and the transaction slips that produced the tip  for his entire shift and keep track of how much tip money went with each slip.  Lots of work.

The norm is to tip at the end of the cruise, not on a transactional basis.

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1 hour ago, zteamtwo said:

I don't mean to "beat this dead horse", but, ---How does a $5 cash tip to a bartender get handled?  Does he have to save every transaction slip and show to the purser so the purser can check to see if you removed gratuities?  That seems like a lot of work for the dozen or so bartenders aboard. Bartender would have to "set aside" his cash tips and the transaction slips that produced the tip  for his entire shift and keep track of how much tip money went with each slip.  Lots of work.

Every purchased alcoholic drink on Oceania is charged an 18% gratuity.

 

Purchased alcohol beverages on Oceania are automatically charged an 18% gratuity. Alcohol Package pricing includes the gratuity as does the $25 corkage fee for personal wine bottles consumed outside your cabin.

 

As with Oceania wait staff and cabin stewards, seldom will you see a gratuity offered to an Oceania bartender on an "as you go" basis.

Much more common is an end-of-cruise, note/envelop/kind word accompaniment to any extra gratuity you may want to provide to individuals for exceptional service. 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
5 minutes ago, Guest said:

While on the topic of gratuities, our TA is giving us $450 on board credit. Can we use this to pay gratuities? Thought I once read that was not the case but would like to be able to do this if possible. Thanks!

Yes.

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  • 8 months later...
On 12/25/2020 at 5:33 PM, Paulchili said:

You are correct although I am not sure if it had to be by the end of 2013 or 2014. People grandfathered by that date do receive full value of PPG as OBC.

Also, when staying in PH or above the gratuity is $23/day/pp - so the value of PPG is greater. One time we had 3 PPGs - that was nice 🙂

 

On 12/26/2020 at 4:07 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

No.

if you decide to accept TA's offer to "pay" your gratuities, it appears on the invoice as the TA's "gratuities" (e.g., it may say OCAPP next to the $) and then any Oceania "in lieu" (of the usual O Club gratuities coverage) SBC (e.g., $250/cabin) will appear as $125 "in lieu" O Club SBC per each of the two guests in that cabin. And, none of this money is refundable.

 

BTW, If the TA also gives you refundable SBC (e.g., commission sharing), you will not see it on the Oceania invoice (but you'll want to make sure that you have it in writing on the TA's invoice and/or in an email. Then, on embarkation day, you'll get a card (or letter, etc) stating the gift of refundable TA SBC.

 

On 12/26/2020 at 7:37 PM, Paulchili said:

Thanks FF

As I said, I don’t really care. If I have 2 PPGs one goes to gratuities and the other as OBC in full value - it doesn’t matter to me which goes where as they are of equal value.

Does anyone have a recent experience with "grandfathered" PPG? Is that still available for those that qualify or is it now $250 for everyone that gets a second PPG.

If I understand my TA correctly, the PPG she is offering goes to gratuities themselves while my "status" PPG are converted into SBC (?non- refundable).

If grandfathering is still offered then I would receive $920 SBC - $23/pp/day in PH for a 20 day cruise).

There is a huge difference between $920 and $250 😀

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7 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

 

 

Does anyone have a recent experience with "grandfathered" PPG? Is that still available for those that qualify or is it now $250 for everyone that gets a second PPG.

If I understand my TA correctly, the PPG she is offering goes to gratuities themselves while my "status" PPG are converted into SBC (?non- refundable).

If grandfathering is still offered then I would receive $920 SBC - $23/pp/day in PH for a 20 day cruise).

There is a huge difference between $920 and $250 😀

I remember that exchange.

I don’t have a clue about “in lieu” gratuities policies from long ago. But, I doubt there’s any “grandfathering” still. Remember that the T&Cs say O can change anything.....

Nonetheless, it might be worth an email to the O Club folks in Miami requesting clarification.

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For those folks that just signup for new 2023 cruises this week. Were any of your TAs offering consortium PPG on any of the cruises? We booked a Vista cruise last month and our TA said they didn’t get any for those cruises. She said perhaps later, closer to sailing, but currently Oceania obviously didn’t believe it needed to add the perk. Having the summer 2023 Vista cruise booked, we didn’t book any of the newly released cruises, and I didn’t want to bother my TA  that was busy helping those that did with the question. 
 

I just checked my Oct 22 booking, that waitlisted almost entirely on release and has been completely waitlisted for months, and there are no TA/consortium PPG listed for that cruise either.

 

So for us, no double dipping on either cruise. I question going forward if Oceania won’t start using the Consortium perk closer to sailing, < 1 year, and then only on undersubscribed cruises? I’ll be interested to see your responses.

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58 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

For those folks that just signup for new 2023 cruises this week. Were any of your TAs offering consortium PPG on any of the cruises? We booked a Vista cruise last month and our TA said they didn’t get any for those cruises. She said perhaps later, closer to sailing, but currently Oceania obviously didn’t believe it needed to add the perk. Having the summer 2023 Vista cruise booked, we didn’t book any of the newly released cruises, and I didn’t want to bother my TA  that was busy helping those that did with the question. 
 

I just checked my Oct 22 booking, that waitlisted almost entirely on release and has been completely waitlisted for months, and there are no TA/consortium PPG listed for that cruise either.

 

So for us, no double dipping on either cruise. I question going forward if Oceania won’t start using the Consortium perk closer to sailing, < 1 year, and then only on undersubscribed cruises? I’ll be interested to see your responses.

Like you, our Vista cruise doesn't have PPG.  Our 2022 doesn't either however, it does have a Distinctive Voyages Hosted offer which we have never experienced (uncertain if this is restricted to Canadian TAs). Our TA said it is typically equal (or more) to the value of PPG:

Elevate your clients cruise experience on one of our Distinctive Voyages Hosted Cruises. All of our Distinctive Voyages are filled with rich experiences and complimentary indulgences. This exclusive collection includes extra amenities paired with exceptional cruises, at no additional cost to you or your clients. Each sailing features: 

  • The services of a Distinctive Voyages Host
  • An invitation to a Private Welcome Reception
  • An Exclusive Amenity that may include one of the following:
    • An Exclusive Shore Event
    • An Onboard Event
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1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

....I just checked my Oct 22 booking, that waitlisted almost entirely on release and has been completely waitlisted for months, and there are no TA/consortium PPG listed for that cruise either....

Just to clarify this TA gratuities thing, particularly for O newbies (again):


When a TA offers to pay the PPGs, it can come from multiple sources including “pass through” incentive funds from O or the TAs consortium (often for specific cruises). You’ll often see some or all of those TA gratuities listed in the “Promotional Amenities” section on your O invoice with source citation, e.g., OCAPP.  In addition (often depending on where you are in the world), BTW, Oceania may sometimes publish inclusion of gratuities in a “special” sale price - perhaps added on an occasional “Ultimate O Life [all three perks] cruise.

 

If you are O Club Silver or above and you book direct with O, you’ll see “O Club comp” cited for the gratuities. However, if your TA is covering the gratuities from some “pass through” incentive funds, you’ll instead see “Shipboard Cr in Lieu of Oceania Club PPG's” (usually $125 per person). Unless there’s an error, you will not see the actual full PPG amenity listed for both the TA and O (though this was possible many years ago).

 

That said, a TA can also choose to purchase gratuities and the invoice may show “gift” or nothing at all since, in most cases, anything coming directly from a TA will only be listed on the TA’s invoice but not on O’s invoice. BTW, this is one reason why it is also important to carry both the O and TA invoices with you.

 

Likewise, TA’s who share commissions (either by rebate check or by providing refundable SBC) will notate that on their invoice and you’ll usually have a “gift” card (or list of amenities) in your cabin stating that when you arrive. You will not see outright perks directly from a TA listed on the O invoice.

 

AND, if you are someone who will be negotiating with a new TA regarding TA perks, be clear about what is coming from O (e.g., O Life and O Club [or TA consortium] or incentive gratuities [e.g., OCAPP, the nature of which I do not fully understand?]) and what is coming from the TA (purchased PPGs, refundable SBC, and/or a “rebate” check) which you may not see on the O invoice but should always see on the TA invoice.

 

If you are a newbie or O regular considering using or transferring to a TA (within 30 days of direct deposit with an O phone rep or O Club Ambassador) for your booking, please let me know if this all makes sense. It can be very confusing but it should all be clarified once you have a few O cruises under your belt.

 

Finally, there is nothing wrong with “sharing commissions.” Once the “dust settles” on the above pass through/purchased negotiations, many (but not all) of O’s “preferred partner” and/or Connoisseurs Club top TAs will share with you 5-10% of the commissionable fare (as rebate or refundable SBC). BUT, never disregard the value of great TA service and problem solving. IMO, a great TA is someone with the combo of service and perks (and attention to detail) whose communicative style fits my own. 

Edited by Flatbush Flyer
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1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

For those folks that just signup for new 2023 cruises this week. Were any of your TAs offering consortium PPG on any of the cruises?

 

Yes. Jun 2023 voyage on  Riviera.  First time in quite a few O cruises I've gotten PPG.

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On 1/4/2021 at 4:43 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

Every purchased alcoholic drink on Oceania is charged an 18% gratuity.

 

Purchased alcohol beverages on Oceania are automatically charged an 18% gratuity. Alcohol Package pricing includes the gratuity as does the $25 corkage fee for personal wine bottles consumed outside your cabin.

 

As with Oceania wait staff and cabin stewards, seldom will you see a gratuity offered to an Oceania bartender on an "as you go" basis.

Much more common is an end-of-cruise, note/envelop/kind word accompaniment to any extra gratuity you may want to provide to individuals for exceptional service. 

 

That is something I’ve never understood, if your on the Alcohol Package why you are charged a corkage fee for bring you own wine.

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My Vista B2B in Summer 2023 also did not include PPG from our usually gratuitously friendly Connoisseur Club TA.  When I asked, he said he "had not seen the pool for gratuities for Vista on any voyages for 2023".  He also said, "I believe they feel they can sell without having the gratuity pool for the Agents."  My TA did, however, provide a 5% rebate...

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2 hours ago, WESTEAST said:

Like you, our Vista cruise doesn't have PPG.

 

Also Canada - the agency of our travel agent offered PPG on both legs of our Vista B2B voyage. An ad in the Globe and Mail made this offer to anyone booking Vista cruise.

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1 hour ago, Robjame said:

 

Also Canada - the agency of our travel agent offered PPG on both legs of our Vista B2B voyage. An ad in the Globe and Mail made this offer to anyone booking Vista cruise.

This is a good deal ONLY if & when the cruise fare is comparable (or same) as in US.

If the cruise costs a lot more then PPG are meaningless for obvious reasons.

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OK. Some info.

 

- We booked Vista PC LA to MIA 11/23 direct with O. No ppg on the O invoice.

- Then we transferred to a well known TA and the O invoice reflected OCAPP prepaid gratuities.

- Turns out that OCAPP stands for Oceania Cruises Amenity Partnership Program. It is a consortium program. Do a search for complete details.

 

One more reason that booking with a TA can have a financial +.

 

We have one other booking in '23 with no ppg.

 

In '22 we have one booking with and one without - same TA.

Edited by Croooser
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7 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

This is a good deal ONLY if & when the cruise fare is comparable (or same) as in US.

Since 2016 Oceania has been offering pricing in CAD. The price directly relates to the US price with the exchange rate adjusted quarterly. We have the option to pay the US price or the Canadian price at time of booking. The advantage of paying in CAD is we avoid the bank's 2.5% exchange fee.

The prices on the cruise, OBC, excursions, gratuities and all onboard charges are in US dollars.

Our billing comes out of Oceania Vancouver.

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1 minute ago, Robjame said:

Since 2016 Oceania has been offering pricing in CAD. The price directly relates to the US price with the exchange rate adjusted quarterly. We have the option to pay the US price or the Canadian price at time of booking. The advantage of paying in CAD is we avoid the bank's 2.5% exchange fee.

The prices on the cruise, OBC, excursions, gratuities and all onboard charges are in US dollars.

Our billing comes out of Oceania Vancouver.

We have a TD USD Visa  so no FTF    I would stockpile  USD when the rates were good

Usually compare rates  before paying in USD or CAD  O seems to have  a good exchange rate now  so no need to stockpile USD 😉

 

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4 hours ago, Kate-AHF said:

 

Yes. Jun 2023 voyage on  Riviera.  First time in quite a few O cruises I've gotten PPG.

Kate, do you know what source the PPG are coming from? Oceania, or your TA? 

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