Cost vs. Benefit of OLife Add-on

[Jockocruiser]

On 9/16/2021 at 10:29 AM, Robjame said:

Are you sure because I have seen ads that lead you to believe the OBC is $800 but that is actually an "up to $800" which applies to longer voyages? I have never seen where the OLife OBC exceeds the amount charged.

Of course in your example it is 2 x $300 = $600 vs your reported $800 which is a stateroom total amount

 

We are drinkers rather than people who take Oceania excursions so for us the decision is simple.

On a future 22 day cruise the OLife OBC is $1200 (per stateroom)

The House Select Beverage package would cost us 22x$40= $800x 2 people = $1600.

As we would purchase the beverage package anyway, we are up $400.

(Yes I know we still must upgrade to Select Beverage Package which is another  $20x22=$440 x 2 people = $880). This covers our drinks for 22 days + gratuity.

(I said we are drinkers)

🤪

 

r

Robjame,

For “drinkers” it makes sense.

 

That is one of the best explanations I’ve seen regarding the beverage option.

 

 I’m still uncertain about the ShoreEx option, as when I select ShoreEx it prices out at list price if => $100 and <$200
 

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, Jockocruiser said:

 I’m still uncertain about the ShoreEx option, as when I select ShoreEx it prices out at list price if => $100 and <$200

 

I believe  when you get to check out  it will  give you the O life  free  (if they are part of the deal)

[LGW59]

On 9/16/2021 at 10:29 AM, Robjame said:

Are you sure because I have seen ads that lead you to believe the OBC is $800 but that is actually an "up to $800" which applies to longer voyages? I have never seen where the OLife OBC exceeds the amount charged.

Of course in your example it is 2 x $300 = $600 vs your reported $800 which is a stateroom total amount

 

We are drinkers rather than people who take Oceania excursions so for us the decision is simple.

On a future 22 day cruise the OLife OBC is $1200 (per stateroom)

The House Select Beverage package would cost us 22x$40= $800x 2 people = $1600.

As we would purchase the beverage package anyway, we are up $400.

(Yes I know we still must upgrade to Select Beverage Package which is another  $20x22=$440 x 2 people = $880). This covers our drinks for 22 days + gratuity.

(I said we are drinkers)

🤪

 

Thanks very much for this info!  One question, I drink but my husband does not ever.  Do you know if we both still have to have the bev package or can I just buy it for me?  On X they now have AI, so there is a built in cost for two passengers regardless of if he never uses it.

[Robjame]

17 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

Do you know if we both still have to have the bev package

Yes, Oceania is very clear on this - both people must have the same OLife choice.

 

So, unless you want the excursion choice, you are best to back out the OLife as your cost is identical to the amount of the OBC which they will give you. Or, as others have mentioned, you are trading cash at time of final payment for a non-refundable OBC onboard..

[Woofa]

I think though that if you are not choosing the olife beverage package choice that one person may purchase the beverage package only.  Someone will let us know for sure.

[GrammieK]

4 minutes ago, Woofa said:

I think though that if you are not choosing the olife beverage package choice that one person may purchase the beverage package only.  Someone will let us know for sure.

You are right. While both passengers must choose same olife choice, both do not have to purchase beverage package. 

[LGW59]

1 minute ago, GrammieK said:

You are right. While both passengers must choose same olife choice, both do not have to purchase beverage package. 

Robjame, Woofa and GrammieK, thank you all, very helpful info.

[Woofa]

Follow up question.  If both cruisers in a cabin choose the olife beverage package, can only one buy the upgrade to premium or do both need to?

[Robjame]

4 minutes ago, Woofa said:

Follow up question.  If both cruisers in a cabin choose the olife beverage package, can only one buy the upgrade to premium or do both need to?

If you go to your booking on Oceania, choose Beverage Option under Other Options > > > you can choose NONE, HOUSE SELECT or PRESTIGE SELECT for each passenger.

So one could choose NONE and the Other choose HOUSE SELECT etc.

[LHT28]

18 minutes ago, Woofa said:

Follow up question.  If both cruisers in a cabin choose the olife beverage package, can only one buy the upgrade to premium or do both need to?

both do not need to upgrade

One can stick with the  wine/beer with meals & the other can upgrade to the Prestige  Package

[Woofa]

Good info and possibly the kind of thing we could put in a sticky "Read this First" type thread if someone wanted to make one.

[LGW59]

45 minutes ago, Robjame said:

If you go to your booking on Oceania, choose Beverage Option under Other Options > > > you can choose NONE, HOUSE SELECT or PRESTIGE SELECT for each passenger.

So one could choose NONE and the Other choose HOUSE SELECT etc.

Yes indeed, just did this.  Did not submit the selection (plenty of time to decide) but yes it allows us to select for just one.  I just need to figure out and get my big number calculator and do he math.  Our cabin includes 6 bottles of wine and or spirits, we tend to spend a lot of time in the cabin, and as I will be the only one drinking it, may just be more advantageous to purchase by the drink at lunch/dinner.  Wine is my go to, and will most likely have a few Southern Comfort Manhattans during the cruise.  First world "problems" and again, thanks for all your feedback!    

[Jockocruiser]

1 hour ago, Robjame said:

If you go to your booking on Oceania, choose Beverage Option under Other Options > > > you can choose NONE, HOUSE SELECT or PRESTIGE SELECT for each passenger.

So one could choose NONE and the Other choose HOUSE SELECT etc.

So Robjame, in post 134 you are contradicting yourself of post129 - right?  Based on your actual entries on the O options page? I found the same, though I didn’t end the cart purchase. Looks like LGW59 did as well.  Maybe this is a newer change from pre-Covid?  Or will we reach “404” at the end?🤪

 

Certainly, using OLife for just OBC of same dollar amount doesn’t make any sense. But doing the math and calculating $40/day x #days does - compared to the dollar value of OLife.  And same with ShoreEx.  
 

So it is a matter of spirit “drinkers” or not, and preference of independent ShoreEx vs value of O ShoreEx in the final analysis isn’t it?

Edited September 19, 2021 by Jockocruiser

[CAG]

59 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

Yes indeed, just did this.  Did not submit the selection (plenty of time to decide) but yes it allows us to select for just one.  I just need to figure out and get my big number calculator and do he math.  Our cabin includes 6 bottles of wine and or spirits, we tend to spend a lot of time in the cabin, and as I will be the only one drinking it, may just be more advantageous to purchase by the drink at lunch/dinner.  Wine is my go to, and will most likely have a few Southern Comfort Manhattans during the cruise.  First world "problems" and again, thanks for all your feedback!    

Since you indicate that wine is your go to, I would suggest that you not choose the Beverage package unless you really don't care what wine you drink.  The same is true when choosing your 6 bottles of spirits or wine for your suite.  There is a limited number of wines on the beverage package and in the choice for wine for your suite. I enjoy good wine so I choose to not buy the beverage package and instead just order the kind of wine I enjoy.  Spirits is different.  I have drank a lot of spirits I might make a different choice. 

[Robjame]

1 hour ago, Jockocruiser said:

So Robjame, in post 134 you are contradicting yourself of post129 - right?

It does get confusing:

 

a) #129 has to do with OLife selection - OBC (On Board Credit), Beverage Package or Excursions. 

Beverage Package choice for OLife makes no sense if both are not drinkers - then excursions or nothing IMO.

b) #134 - IF only one is a drinker then you can choose to buy the beverage package ( that exercise on your Booked Cruise) in any combination and pay for it. This makes sense dollar-wise.

This option of only one person taking the Beverage Package does not exist as an OLife choice. 

 

(Upgrading the basic Beverage Package (House Select) can only be done on board and I can't see they would not follow the same rules as buying however I don't know for sure...)

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 19, 2021 by Robjame

[Jockocruiser]

Ah ha!  By George, I think I’ve got it!

CHOSE for OBC.  BUY for Beverage upgrade.

 

I can see clearly now…I hope

Edited September 19, 2021 by Jockocruiser

[ORV]

27 minutes ago, Jockocruiser said:

Ah ha!  By George, I think I’ve got it!

CHOSE for OBC.  BUY for Beverage upgrade.

 

I can see clearly now…I hope

I'm not so sure. Why do you think OBC would be a good idea? Money is money, whether you pay for the OBC in your initial fare and then use it for upgrading once on the cruise, or just put it on your acct then settle it up in the end. 

 

What am I missing that you would think choosing OBC for the Olife and then using that to purchase the beverage package would put you ahead? The Beverage package is either $40 a day or $60 a day, per person, depending on which one you get. 

 

For me the best option is to take the basic package with Olife and then upgrade 3 or more days into the cruise with either OBC that DIDN'T come from olife, or just charge to our acct. 

 

For non drinkers the best option would be either excursions, or if they don't prefer that then no olife. I'm pretty sure taking the OBC with Olife is still a Zero sum game. 

Edited September 19, 2021 by ORV

[Jockocruiser]

ORV,  You are right… terminology  is confusing. (by design by marketing folks?)

You can see from my previous remarks I discounted the value of OBC as cash value.  I wrote OBC, but meant OLife
 

Is this correct for “drinkers”?

CHOSE Basic Bev package from OLife.  Value @$40/day - which may be greater than the OLife OBC.

 BUY the $20/day upgrade.

[Robjame]

8 hours ago, Jockocruiser said:

Is this correct for “drinkers”?

CHOSE Basic Bev package from OLife.  Value @$40/day - which may be greater than the OLife OBC.

 BUY the $20/day upgrade.

 

Yes. That's what we do.

 

Couple of things to remember:
1. Your gratuity for drinks (now 20% I believe) is included for the drinks with either drink package.

2. You do not have to upgrade to the Prestige Package the first day. You will have your wine/beer available at lunch and dinner with the Basic Package. Maybe you have a gifted bottle of champagne (or you bring one on board) in your stateroom while you unpack. You will avoid the line at Guest Services on embarkation day. You save $40 (drinkers can be thrifty).

3. Three glasses of champagne or a couple of single malts and one glass of wine at lunch and dinner and you are at the $60 mark. Does not take much.

4.The advertised 10% off La Reserve with either drink package does not apply if you have the OLife beverage page - even if you upgraded to Prestige.

 

[Jockocruiser]

Great, thanks!

[ORV]

13 hours ago, Jockocruiser said:

ORV,  You are right… terminology  is confusing. (by design by marketing folks?)

You can see from my previous remarks I discounted the value of OBC as cash value.  I wrote OBC, but meant OLife
 

Is this correct for “drinkers”?

CHOSE Basic Bev package from OLife.  Value @$40/day - which may be greater than the OLife OBC.

 BUY the $20/day upgrade.

Yes, I see what you're saying now. And yes, I think the marketing folks do tend to confuse things. Just to add another thing to Robjame's list, the second night of the cruise is usually Captain's Welcome party. There are free drinks pretty much at most bars for about 3 hours that evening. This is one reason we usually wait until the third day, or later depending on what's happening, to upgrade. 

[DenGNNJ]

Great info!  I took what everyone said and made an Excel spreadsheet.  I pop in 5 numbers and it calculates the whole mess out for me.  I tested it by doing a couple of mock bookings and the numbers jive.

I can totally see what everyone was saying about where you get the most bang for your buck.

[Jockocruiser]

12 hours ago, DenGNNJ said:

Great info!  I took what everyone said and made an Excel spreadsheet.  I pop in 5 numbers and it calculates the whole mess out for me.  I tested it by doing a couple of mock bookings and the numbers jive.

I can totally see what everyone was saying about where you get the most bang for your buck.

Sounds great!  Can you post an image or share that excel file?

[DenGNNJ]

Screenshot below... spreadsheet file is attached to this post...  "Per Person" calculations are based on two passengers per cabin.  Yellow cells are data entry points, orange cells are titles, green cells are calculations.  All cells, except for the YELLOW cells, are locked to prevent editing.  One may unlock the sheet by right-clicking on "Sheet1" (bottom left) of the Excel program and selecting "Unprotect Sheet" from the menu.

 

B4, B7, B8, B13, and B14 are essential entry points... numbers are calculated on those entries.

 

I've run this against 5 different cruises currently on Oceania's website - 5 times my numbers have jived.

 

Oceania OLife Cruise Calculation Sheet.xlsx

 

 

 

Edited September 21, 2021 by DenGNNJ

[ORV]

5 hours ago, DenGNNJ said:

Screenshot below... spreadsheet file is attached to this post...  "Per Person" calculations are based on two passengers per cabin.  Yellow cells are data entry points, orange cells are titles, green cells are calculations.  All cells, except for the YELLOW cells, are locked to prevent editing.  One may unlock the sheet by right-clicking on "Sheet1" (bottom left) of the Excel program and selecting "Unprotect Sheet" from the menu.

 

B4, B7, B8, B13, and B14 are essential entry points... numbers are calculated on those entries.

 

I've run this against 5 different cruises currently on Oceania's website - 5 times my numbers have jived.

 

Oceania OLife Cruise Calculation Sheet.xlsx 11.84 kB · 7 downloads

 

 

 

I guess I don't really understand what this is proving. I've never been a fan of Excel files. Where is it showing me one choice is better than another?