O Club - Silver Status - VIP Shore Excursion Check-in

[WESTEAST]

We will achieve Silver Status on our upcoming cruise and reviewing the additional benefits, curious to understand what does, "VIP Shore Excursion Check-in" mean? Familiar with the Shore Excursion check-in process - perhaps it means that we can give our Excursion cards in early once the desk in the Lounge is open versus being called up per their announcements?  Thanks!

[WildWanderers]

Hi @WESTEAST,

 

We asked the Oceania Club Ambassador (now called Future Cruise Consultant) on an August 2023 cruise what VIP Shore Excursion Check-in meant.  She said...oh, yeah, that thing.  She said that Destination Services had the idea that she would go to the Lounge when people assemble for excursions and identify Silver+ members for Destination Services so that they could somehow board first.  She explained to Destination Services that she had a full time job, and would be unable to do this.

 

I then asked the Destination Services manager who was annoyed that I had any information that sounded like such a "service" existed.  Where did I get this, she asked, we don't do this, it makes no sense.  OK.  I showed her that it was on documentation from the Oceania Club about benefits, and she said that I should not have this.  Like any good Canadian, I apologized.  All a bit confusing.

 

If anyone has ever seen VIP Shore Excursion Check-in implemented, it would be interesting to hear how.

 

Cheers from Greg of the WildWanderers.

[pinotlover]

It’s like 2 for 1 cruise prices and “vintage “ champagne on the wine by the glass list. Sounds so pretty, but doesn’t exist. 🙄

[Flatbush Flyer]

16 hours ago, WESTEAST said:

We will achieve Silver Status on our upcoming cruise and reviewing the additional benefits, curious to understand what does, "VIP Shore Excursion Check-in" mean? Familiar with the Shore Excursion check-in process - perhaps it means that we can give our Excursion cards in early once the desk in the Lounge is open versus being called up per their announcements?  Thanks!

This was a short-lived, failed O experiment of a separate line (for folks with higher O Club status) at check-in for tours that met in the Lounge. Only problem was there was no enforcement. So, everyone just got in the shortest line. Saw it/used it on two cruises before it disappeared in late 2022 or early 2023.

[WESTEAST]

Thanks everyone for your replies and yes, we were a tad suspicious 🤨.  

[ORV]

I think this is on par with Priority Terminal Checkin.  Any time I’ve ever mentioned it they look at me like I’ve got 3 heads. I just get in an empty line and act like I know what I’m doing. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, ORV said:

I think this is on par with Priority Terminal Checkin.  Any time I’ve ever mentioned it they look at me like I’ve got 3 heads. I just get in an empty line and act like I know what I’m doing. 

So true. When all else fails (which is usually the case), it’s “first come, first served.”            😳🤔😉😎

[edgee]

11 hours ago, WildWanderers said:

I then asked the Destination Services manager who was annoyed that I had any information that sounded like such a "service" existed.  Where did I get this, she asked, we don't do this, it makes no sense.  OK.  I showed her that it was on documentation from the Oceania Club about benefits, and she said that I should not have this.  Like any good Canadian, I apologized.  All a bit confusing.

This kind of attitude by staff personifies an unfortunate trend I am seeing from Oceania corporate as well as many onboard employees. Impression they give is that we are fortunate to get whatever benefits we do get, and Oceania can renege on any promise made to guests at any time.

[pinotlover]

16 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

So true. When all else fails (which is usually the case), it’s “first come, first served.”            😳🤔😉😎

When we finally check in at 2:30-3:30, we typically are the entire line! 😎. Everyone there to just wait on us. Great service. 😃

[shepherd really]

55 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

When we finally check in at 2:30-3:30, we typically are the entire line! 😎. Everyone there to just wait on us. Great service. 😃

Yes, but you miss that lunch you already paid for 😇

[pinotlover]

52 minutes ago, shepherd really said:

Yes, but you miss that lunch you already paid for 😇

😂😂. Yep, I travelled to Italy, France, Japan, Copenhagen, Sydney, etc. for a buffet ship lunch!
 

One that I can choose to duplicate regularly on the upcoming cruise.🙄😇

Edited January 21 by pinotlover

[ORV]

21 hours ago, ORV said:

I think this is on par with Priority Terminal Checkin.  Any time I’ve ever mentioned it they look at me like I’ve got 3 heads. I just get in an empty line and act like I know what I’m doing. 

Actually today I asked where the Priority line was and they pointed me to the Suite line. Must have been an informed employee or she misunderstood my question. 

[goletans]

First time I noticed this privilege on O's website: VIP SHORE EXCURSION CHECK-IN

It's also in the 2025 Collection Brochure.

I seriously doubt that it exists as we've ever only seen one line in the lounge to get excursion tickets. I'll check into this on our August cruise.

[osandomir]

3 hours ago, goletans said:

First time I noticed this privilege on O's website: VIP SHORE EXCURSION CHECK-IN

It's also in the 2025 Collection Brochure.

I seriously doubt that it exists as we've ever only seen one line in the lounge to get excursion tickets. I'll check into this on our August cruise.

Not that we have ever felt like we’d need to use this benefit while checking in for an excursion in the lounge. Everyone gets into the same bus anyway. We value some other loyalty benefits that’s much more useful.

[ronrick1943]

On 1/20/2024 at 1:24 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

So true. When all else fails (which is usually the case), it’s “first come, first served.”            😳🤔😉😎

That really becomes a failure of the Marketing Department.  The more that happens the less important a loyalty program becomes.  Sad for "O".

[goletans]

What would be nice is a perk for folks who cannot stand for an extended period of time or who need some sort of mobility device to be able to avoid the (sometimes) longish line and then to have to get to the disembarkation area with the people that are in too great a hurry to be considerate.

[Vallesan]

31 minutes ago, goletans said:

What would be nice is a perk for folks who cannot stand for an extended period of time or who need some sort of mobility device to be able to avoid the (sometimes) longish line and then to have to get to the disembarkation area with the people that are in too great a hurry to be considerate.

Maybe it would be a good idea, that would help everybody, if anybody with a mobility issue came to the disembarkation station later than the ‘normal’ disembarkation time for the cruise ship trips. 
 

Then those who need to disembark quickly could do so and those with mobility issues could also take their time without being rushed. I say this as person with mobility issues and I would hate to be in a crowded area trying to get off the ship with lots of others trying to get to their tour buses.

[ronrick1943]

20 hours ago, Vallesan said:

Maybe it would be a good idea, that would help everybody, if anybody with a mobility issue came to the disembarkation station later than the ‘normal’ disembarkation time for the cruise ship trips. 
 

Then those who need to disembark quickly could do so and those with mobility issues could also take their time without being rushed. I say this as person with mobility issues and I would hate to be in a crowded area trying to get off the ship with lots of others trying to get to their tour buses.

Wouldn't it be nice if people could understand the word "COURTESY & MANNERS"😀wouldn't that be great for a change............

[vlthom]

There’s no such thing as VIP shore excursion check-in.  If there was, half (or more) of the ship’s passengers would qualify as there are a tremendous number of repeaters.  That said, check-in for excursions is generally very quick anyway.  It’s the dispatching of tours that can take some time, especially when tendering.

[slw207693]

As someone who achieved President’s level earlier this year, it does exist.  When ever there was a tender port, the Head Butler, (who was not assigned to our cabin) would go and get tender tickets from the Destinations team in the lounge and met us down where you disembarked to get on the tender.   Once we were on the tender, Destintions would resume the operation of calling tour numbers.   If we had a private tour scheduled in a port,  he made sure our assigned Butler walked us off the ship.   

[osandomir]

2 hours ago, slw207693 said:

As someone who achieved President’s level earlier this year, it does exist.  When ever there was a tender port, the Head Butler, (who was not assigned to our cabin) would go and get tender tickets from the Destinations team in the lounge and met us down where you disembarked to get on the tender.   Once we were on the tender, Destintions would resume the operation of calling tour numbers.   If we had a private tour scheduled in a port,  he made sure our assigned Butler walked us off the ship.   

Did you mean that the tender operation was interrupted until you were accommodated on the tender?

[slw207693]

We were the first on an empty tender, then other guests joined.   

[ORV]

2 hours ago, slw207693 said:

We were the first on an empty tender, then other guests joined.   

So this is supposed to happen at 10 cruises. Have you been getting this for your past 50 cruises? 

 

I've got Silver tripled and never had the service offered. Maybe it's because you're on the General Managers VIP list. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

8 minutes ago, ORV said:

So this is supposed to happen at 10 cruises. Have you been getting this for your past 50 cruises? 

 

I've got Silver tripled and never had the service offered. Maybe it's because you're on the General Managers VIP list. 

Perhaps you misunderstood. s/he said “president’s circle.” It’s the highest O Club level.

[ORV]

51 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Perhaps you misunderstood. s/he said “president’s circle.” It’s the highest O Club level.

No, I didn't misunderstand at all. The VIP shore excursion perk is supposed to kick in at Silver, 10 credits. 

 

They have  at least 60 credits which makes them President's Circle. 50 +10 = 60 

The General Managers VIP list perk kicks in at President's Circle. 

 

This is why I asked them if they have been getting this perk for their past 50 cruises. 

 

Understand now? Perhaps I wasn't clear in my post. 

 

You have as many or more credits than I do, have you had this perk offered?

Edited 20 hours ago by ORV