"Free" 20th cruise question

[smalltowner]

My TA is on vacation, so I thought I'd throw this question out to Oceania cruisers with more than 20 cruises under their belts.  Our 20th is going to happen as the third in a series of back-to-backs.  Because the first two in the series were eligible for a significant discount with the summer sale, we re-booked them with "Simply More". As a result, we have a huge amount of cruise credit, even not counting the excursion credits, and with the drinks package we won't even need to spend for wine at dinner.  But on the 20th cruise, we have much less credit, only what we get for our level and the gratuities.  My question is; since we will be continuing to be on the ship, can we continue to use credit from the previous segments, or do we have to use it up before the 20th cruise begins?  We have been on back-to-backs before and we could carry over credits, but we were paying for the cruises in that case.

[golfguyhhi]

First, you can carry the unused credit from the first two cruises over to the third, as you don't settle your account until you are ready to leave the ship at the end of all three cruises.

But, have you notified Oceania that the 3rd of the B2B2B is going to be your 20th?  I ask, because the conditions surrounding your 20th are that you have to have completed your 19th, and you have to notify O of your intent no later than 180 days before the intended 20th cruise.

Or, should I say, that's what we were told by O when we were nearing the milestone.  Others may have had a different experience.

[ORV]

This is a special case. I would leave it until your TA is back and can verify with O exactly what will happen. 

[smalltowner]

Yes, my TA has been in conversation with an Oceania agent about the third B2B cruise being the 20th.  Currently it is booked as cruise only with an invoice which presumably we won't have to pay. Same stateroom as the previous two B2Bs.  We'll see what our TA can find out when he gets back at the end of the month.

[Janet-]

Does the free cruise now have simply more benefits

[smalltowner]

No, it does not.  We can book Oceania excursions but they are à la carte.  I don't know if there will be a discount for booking 6 or more excursions.  Another question waiting for my TA's return.

[willidc]

9 minutes ago, smalltowner said:

No, it does not.  We can book Oceania excursions but they are à la carte.  I don't know if there will be a discount for booking 6 or more excursions.  Another question waiting for my TA's return.

 

We are taking our 20th cruise at the end of January 2024.  We had originally booked the cruise as an OLife 15 day.  With the SM announcement, we knew there would be changes.  The OLife went away and we booked the same 9 excursions we were going to book under OLife.  We did get the 25% discount.  We were pro rated for the 15th day since the 20th allows 14 days max.  And we were permitted to upgrade our stateroom with an upcharge.  They did not permit us to add Air to the invoice even though we said we would pay.  

 

They reinvoiced us and, while not free, it was one heck of a discount.  Since it is a 15 day sailing, our final payment date was August 31.  We decided to make final payment last Friday,  However, none of our "Gifts and Amenities" were shown on the invoice (which is typically significant).  We were told that those would be showing up at a later time?  Keeping our fingers crossed.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[smalltowner]

Thanks for that information. Our 20th cruise is a 12-day on Sirena.  We booked it as cruise-only with no air, as that was what we were told we had to do for the "free cruise".  We do have an invoice, because we have to take the two previous B2B cruises before we are eligible for the free one.  The final payment date for the 20th cruise is well after the final payment date for the 18th and 19th, and 2 months before we set sail for the whole B2B2B in mid-March 2024. I'm not sure what happens regarding payment for the 20th when it's dependent upon us completing the previous ones.  In fact, we haven't even completed our 17th yet.  That's happening in a month on Vista.  But I do want to take more than 6 excursions on the "free cruise", so it's good to know the discount will be available.

[willidc]

"I'm not sure what happens regarding payment for the 20th when it's dependent upon us completing the previous ones.  In fact, we haven't even completed our 17th yet."

 

We have made final payment on 20th and we are leaving next week for #19.  Everything works out with a certain level of expertise and trust on both sides.

 

Enjoy your cruises!

Edited August 24, 2023 by willidc
typo

[Torquer]

I am not sure if we will ever get to the 20th cruise free with O, but I do have a question on how it works.  In particular, what kind of cabin do they give you for your free cruise; is it based on the type of cabin you typically book?  For example, if you always cruised in a suite on your paid cruises, it would be pretty insulting to be given a free cruise in an inside cabin.

[basor]

10 minutes ago, Torquer said:

I am not sure if we will ever get to the 20th cruise free with O, but I do have a question on how it works.  In particular, what kind of cabin do they give you for your free cruise; is it based on the type of cabin you typically book?  For example, if you always cruised in a suite on your paid cruises, it would be pretty insulting to be given a free cruise in an inside cabin.

The free cruise is based upon the cabin category you have sailed in....thus you always cruise in a suite than your free cruise is that category of suite.

[ORV]

1 hour ago, Torquer said:

I am not sure if we will ever get to the 20th cruise free with O, but I do have a question on how it works.  In particular, what kind of cabin do they give you for your free cruise; is it based on the type of cabin you typically book?  For example, if you always cruised in a suite on your paid cruises, it would be pretty insulting to be given a free cruise in an inside cabin.

 

51 minutes ago, basor said:

The free cruise is based upon the cabin category you have sailed in....thus you always cruise in a suite than your free cruise is that category of suite.

Yeah, that's a pretty nice thing they've done. We averaged a B3, or we requested a B3 extended balcony on Marina and were approved. On our 20th the other 3 couples on our Trivia team were all on their 20th. Our team name was The Freebies. Very strange that we all had that in common and wound up on the same trivia team. One of the couples averaged an Oceania Suite so we had a few after trivia cocktails there. 

[DoulaAnn]

Were the BTB cruised booked separately or as a grand cruise? If not B2B (just one cruise -- we have a tour booked that is 5 separate cruises), it only counts as one cruise -- you get several credits for it, based on the length. So, depends on your circumstances.

[Tranquility Base]

On 8/19/2023 at 5:27 PM, Janet- said:

Does the free cruise now have simply more benefits

 

On 8/24/2023 at 1:25 PM, smalltowner said:

No, it does not.  We can book Oceania excursions but they are à la carte.  

Does anyone know ( before I call and ask ) what happens in a scenario such as this.

Free cruise booked under SM.

Cruise is 20 days.

Discount of the basic fare for the first 14 days is given.

Does that mean the entire 20 days onboard has no SM benefits, or would the last 6 days onboard receive SM benefits ?

[cswhistler]

Willidc It has been a few years since our 20th but we did indeed get the extra credits added to our cruise a couple of days after being on board.

[smalltowner]

Back here to report that we have officially been given the third leg of a back-to-back-to-back as our free cruise.  And it was free, except for taxes.  We are in a B2 veranda, which is about the average of what we've been in over our cruise career, from ocean view to veranda to concierge.  It's the same room for the whole 3 segments, but the free cruise had to be a separate booking.  Once it was finalized, our loyalty club credits disappeared, and when I asked my TA he said that's how Oceania does it, and they will re-appear later.  Can anyone tell me when they reappear.  Is it after sailing?

[basor]

They generally appear a few weeks before sailing.  Since it is the end of a B2B2B, you will see it while onboard.

[Tranquility Base]

20 minutes ago, smalltowner said:

Back here to report that we have officially been given the third leg of a back-to-back-to-back as our free cruise.  And it was free, except for taxes.

Thanks.

How many days is that particular separate free cruise booking ?

Did you loose or retain the SM benefits ?

How far in advance did you nominate that cruise with Oceania ?

[smalltowner]

The free cruise is 12 days, and when I averaged out our previous sailings that was the average.  We will lose the SM benefits at the end of the previous 2 legs.  Apparently we will be issued a new card that indicates we don't have SM.  We will have all the loyalty benefits for Platinum level.... $500 SBC, spa credit, prepaid gratuities, bottle of wine in stateroom.  But, as these aren't available for our use until shortly before sailing date, excursions can't be booked using SBC at the moment. I am going to visit Reception once we're onboard the first leg to see whether SBC from first 2 legs can be carried over to 3rd or if they have to be used up before then to avoid forfeiting them.  If the credits can't be carried over, I will use some of them to purchase a bottles of wine package to keep in the stateroom for later use wherever we want to imbibe.  I plan to visit the excursions desk also to see if I can book a couple of third leg excursions ahead of time.

Regarding booking the 20th cruise, I booked it in May, paying $1000 to do so, after my TA discussed the whole scenario with an Oceania representative.  I had an invoice stating what I owed as if it were any other booking.  In September, my TA made the formal nomination, I think.  A couple times before final payment date (January 11), my TA was calling them to ask when the approval would be happening, and was told there was a line-up and eventually our turn would come.  He was also informed that no payment could be made until the final statement arrived, even if past the final payment date.  About a week after final payment date, I received notice that the cruise was approved for our 20th, and they owed me money, since I had prepaid $1000 and the taxes and fees were less than that.

Penny

[Tranquility Base]

Penny, thanks for the detailed explanation which helped.

The reason I asked about the length of cruise was just checking that it was 14 days or less, as you had mentioned it was totally free (apart from fees / taxes).

 

The intricacies regarding the timings of payments, the use of SBCs, and the SM are useful to know.