Sorry…but another tipping question…

[LHT28]

10 hours ago, mauibabes said:

. All cruises up to 14 days earn you one cruise credit but a 15 days cruise earns two credits.

When did that change  ?

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/oceania-club-benefits

 

You give a lot of misinformation🤔

[basor]

2 hours ago, pinotlover said:

Is this new? I thought the threshold for 2 cruise credits was 21 days, or 22 days to get that 2nd credit. I have been on several 20 & 21 day cruises all only giving 1 cruise credit. Now a bit of research .

Unless things have changed lately, it is 22 days for 2 credits,........we have many 20 and 21 day cruises and know the pain of only receiving 1 credit

[1985rz1]

O's site states 1 credit for up to 24 days.  Two credits require a minimum of 25 days.  See Lynn's post, #51.

[ORV]

1 hour ago, 1985rz1 said:

O's site states 1 credit for up to 24 days.  Two credits require a minimum of 25 days.  See Lynn's post, #51.

Yes, this is correct, 

 

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/oceania-club-benefits

[Twiga]

I am booked on a 24 day cruise in 2023.  I can't believe that I will get only one cruise credit, when the cruise is actually a B2B. I discovered the disparity in cruise credits in 2017 when a B2B that I had booked as two cruises was later converted into a single cruise by Oceania.  Instead of 2 credits, I only received 1.  If I now take three separate 7-day cruises I would get 3 credits.  But I will only get 1 for my 24-day cruise.  I much prefer the Azamara method of counting credits based on each night of the cruise.  That seems more fair to me.  Yes, I know this is the way Oceania does it and I still sail on Oceania as often as possible.  I just completed my 11th cruise with them.

[Jancruz]

13 minutes ago, Twiga said:

I am booked on a 24 day cruise in 2023.  I can't believe that I will get only one cruise credit, when the cruise is actually a B2B. I discovered the disparity in cruise credits in 2017 when a B2B that I had booked as two cruises was later converted into a single cruise by Oceania.  Instead of 2 credits, I only received 1.  If I now take three separate 7-day cruises I would get 3 credits.  But I will only get 1 for my 24-day cruise.  I much prefer the Azamara method of counting credits based on each night of the cruise.  That seems more fair to me.  Yes, I know this is the way Oceania does it and I still sail on Oceania as often as possible.  I just completed my 11th cruise with them.

and have you taken a free cruise on Azamara for your 20th???

Jancruz1

[mauibabes]

Congratulations on #11, as you have Free Prepaid Gratuities on all future cruises.  I can say I too have written to O about their method of counting cruises when we first started sailing on Oceania  but in the end, that Free 20th cruise was worth a $💵💰. As I recall about $14,000

If you want to try to beat the count system, just book your B2B as two individual cruises and you get 2 credits. The negative however is you will probably pay thousands more than you are for the B2B trip. We always run the numbers and there could be a time when this approach works to our favor. 
Mauibabes

[1985rz1]

1 hour ago, mauibabes said:

Congratulations on #11, as you have Free Prepaid Gratuities on all future cruises.  I can say I too have written to O about their method of counting cruises when we first started sailing on Oceania  but in the end, that Free 20th cruise was worth a $💵💰. As I recall about $14,000

If you want to try to beat the count system, just book your B2B as two individual cruises and you get 2 credits. The negative however is you will probably pay thousands more than you are for the B2B trip. We always run the numbers and there could be a time when this approach works to our favor. 
Mauibabes

There could be a hitch if a b2b (two booking numbers, one for each segment) is also offered as an extended voyage (one booking number), at least, according to numerous pre-pandemic threads.  It seems that, if there is an offered extended voyage version of  a b2b, one could not book the b2b as two cruises.  Several posters said they were not allowed to book the b2b version, others posted that their b2b was converted to the extended, single booking number version.  I don't know if this is still true, or if there are exceptions or work-arounds.  Someone suggested booking the b2b in two separate cabin categories at two different times might keep the segments as b2b.  Unfortunately, I don't remember the threads as it was more than 2 years ago, but perhaps some recent cruisers might have more up to date information. 

Edited April 10, 2022 by 1985rz1

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, mauibabes said:

If you want to try to beat the count system, just book your B2B as two individual cruises and you get 2 credits. The negative however is you will probably pay thousands more than you are for the B2B trip. We always run the numbers and there could be a time when this approach works to our favor. 
Mauibabes

They said they had booked as 2 separate cruises  & Oceania merged them to the GV

 You will not be paying thousands more  on a true B2B you still get a discount  ..more misinformation

 

[Twiga]

1 hour ago, Jancruz said:

and have you taken a free cruise on Azamara for your 20th???

Jancruz1

No, but with my Azamara credits this year I will have 6 free nights after only 3 cruises.  I am definitely looking forward to my free Oceania cruise.  I have four Oceania cruises booked, so I am getting closer to number 20!

[Twiga]

11 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

They said they had booked as 2 separate cruises  & Oceania merged them to the GV

 You will not be paying thousands more  on a true B2B you still get a discount  ..more misinformation

 

The price was the same when booked as B2B and when converted by Oceania to a GV.  

[mauibabes]

Maybe a misstatement or possible misunderstanding.  Maybe some knowledgeable and experienced Oceania traveler can help clarify this. To me, two cruises with two separate booking numbers earn a specific number of cruise credits based on their individual length. 
mauibabes
 

[pinotlover]

35 minutes ago, mauibabes said:

Maybe a misstatement or possible misunderstanding.  Maybe some knowledgeable and experienced Oceania traveler can help clarify this. To me, two cruises with two separate booking numbers earn a specific number of cruise credits based on their individual length. 
mauibabes
 

During the hectic booking process sometimes there are things not caught. Later the algorithms do catch them and b2b are consolidated into established grand or extended voyages. Quite simple actually.

[LHT28]

3 hours ago, Twiga said:

The price was the same when booked as B2B and when converted by Oceania to a GV.  

Thanks

If you used their air  the discount was probably already taken into account  with the B2B

 

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, mauibabes said:

Maybe a misstatement or possible misunderstanding.  Maybe some knowledgeable and experienced Oceania traveler can help clarify this. To me, two cruises with two separate booking numbers earn a specific number of cruise credits based on their individual length. 
mauibabes
 

If you manage to "beat the count system" as you put it  yes then separate booking numbers will get the cruise credit for separate cruise lengths

But  lately Oceania is combining B2B's  into one booking number which in most cases  you will lose a cruise credit if your total cruise is under the 24 days

[1985rz1]

1 hour ago, mauibabes said:

Maybe a misstatement or possible misunderstanding.  Maybe some knowledgeable and experienced Oceania traveler can help clarify this. To me, two cruises with two separate booking numbers earn a specific number of cruise credits based on their individual length. 
mauibabes
 

Yes, but if the two cruises are b2b and O offers an extended cruise, in previous times called a Grand Cruise, with the same segments combined, O rebooks the two b2b segments as a single extended/grand cruise and the credits are based on the length of that single cruise. In other words, O does not want you to book an extended cruise as b2bs.

[Jancruz]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

If you manage to "beat the count system" as you put it  yes then separate booking numbers will get the cruise credit for separate cruise lengths

But  lately Oceania is combining B2B's  into one booking number which in most cases  you will lose a cruise credit if your total cruise is under the 24 days

Honestly, I cant believe the wasted time trying to beat the system..how desperate are you for a couple of cruise credits..

Jancrua1

[Robjame]

7 hours ago, Jancruz said:

Honestly, I cant believe the wasted time trying to beat the system..how desperate are you for a couple of cruise credits..

I guess we are all just about as desperate as Oceania is to make sure that they arrange our trips so we get the least cruise credits.

 

 Rather than beat the system, we cant figure out what the system is.

Edited April 11, 2022 by Robjame

[pinotlover]

The system is simple. Most all cruises are a part of a consolidated Grand Voyage. Grand Voyages then consist of multiple combinations of Extended Voyages. Then you have single segments.

 

A few b2b still do exist, but there aren’t many. They are typically repeat itinerary cruises such as a Seattle-Seattle Alaska cruise . A few still out there, but not many. 
 

Multiple complicities exist between b2b and extended voyages. Dining reservations are an obvious one. Depending upon the ship and duration of the voyage, Oceania guarantees a certain number of Specialty restaurant reservations and allows you to make those precruise. So a b2b 7 & 10 day cruise would give one more guaranteed reservations than a 17 day extended voyage.

Edited April 11, 2022 by pinotlover

[LHT28]

8 hours ago, Jancruz said:

Honestly, I cant believe the wasted time trying to beat the system..how desperate are you for a couple of cruise credits..

Jancrua1

not me

I have a great TA that looks after us 😉

 

[Robjame]

1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

The system is simple. Most all cruises are a part of a consolidated Grand Voyage. Grand Voyages then consist of multiple combinations of Extended Voyages. Then you have single segments

We, too, just trust our great TA.
We are booked on 4 segments, each between 7 and 12 days, total of 39 days, all from Miami, each available as a separate cruise, only one available as a b2b. What could we have done to predict the number of bookings and how it would affect us for cruise credits, restaurant bookings, price … other than trust out great TA?

 

[Jancruz]

3 hours ago, LHT28 said:

not me

I have a great TA that looks after us 😉

 

😘

Jancruz1

[ORV]

6 hours ago, pinotlover said:

They are typically repeat itinerary cruises such as a Seattle-Seattle Alaska cruise

You pretty much hit the nail on the head here. It's hard to market the same itinerary back to back as an extended voyage, except for that wintering in the Caribbean thing where some of those are repeats. I think they have 2 itineraries for that where it keeps going back and forth. 

[sunlover12]

On 3/8/2022 at 10:31 AM, Hawaiidan said:

Bottom line,  don't try to save the world or social engineer by judging  by your standards back home.     Americans are worlds famous for over tipping.   To many cultures  that is an insult... not appreciated.  Use your judgment and what suits you knowing all the facts and needs..     

This reminded me of something that happened on our last cruise. We hired a car and driver to take us to the ferry terminal in Moorea from our hotel. It was about a 30-minute drive. She was pleasant, friendly and very proud of her home country.  When we got to the ferry terminal I handed her a $5 USD bill for her great service. She replied with a nervous laugh and said "Oh, you're going to tip me?"  She clearly did not expect it and it turned out to be an awkward moment. 

 

I learned from that to always be aware of the culture.  Highly agree that Americans are world famous for overtipping.

[PSR]

I wanted to ask another tipping question, but this topic has drifted since the first post. I skimmed and searched but I could not find out if diners usually tip after dining in a Specialty Restaurant? I know the daily gratuity covers room and regular dining servers, but what about in the Specialties? Thanks for any tips/info.