re: Requesting a free cruise as part of Oceania Club Benefits under the new cancellation policy.

[ATWCruiser]

With Oceania's new cancellation policy of $150pp, those that book a free cruise as part of Oceania Club Benefits will have to make sure they are qualified.  There are a lot of rules for using your free cruise.  I think the normal procedure is to book the cruise you want, put down a deposit and send a letter to Oceania that you want this particular cruise to be your free cruise.  If for any reason, Oceania Club Benefits declines your request because it doesn't adhere to the strict rules, then you are out of $300 ($150 pp x 2).  Anybody else know of this or have this experience?

[Flatbush Flyer]

4 hours ago, ATWCruiser said:

With Oceania's new cancellation policy of $150pp, those that book a free cruise as part of Oceania Club Benefits will have to make sure they are qualified.  There are a lot of rules for using your free cruise.  I think the normal procedure is to book the cruise you want, put down a deposit and send a letter to Oceania that you want this particular cruise to be your free cruise.  If for any reason, Oceania Club Benefits declines your request because it doesn't adhere to the strict rules, then you are out of $300 ($150 pp x 2).  Anybody else know of this or have this experience?

As is often the case with O: what you read in the O website FAQs and “reality” can be vastly different things.

Might I suggest that, as you approach your twentieth cruise credit, you contact the O Club folks in Miami and enquirer about what you’ve got in mind for your complimentary 2 weeks on an O ship. Come to an agreement and go from there. That’s what has worked for us.  

[Tr1v1alCru1ser]

We booked our 20th and our TA contacted 0 6 months out and told them we’d like to take it as our freebie.  No issue with them saying yes, and she didn’t think there would be.  If they’d said no, we were still intending to go on the cruise as it was over Christmas. 

[ATWCruiser]

Yes, you have to book six month in advance.  But if you want to book a year and a half in advance, you have to book the cruise, put down a deposit and then in six months before the cruise starts, request that the cruise you book becomes the free cruise.  With the new cancellation policy, the risk is if for some reason the cruise request is declined, you are out of $300 ($150ppx2) - administrative fee.  I did the best I could to make sure my cruise request is within the rules (as well as asking Oceania Club to take a look without getting a final approval) so I feel confident that all will be okay but just want to let others know about the new administrative fee.