NEVER book your O tours online…

[Flatbush Flyer]

NEVER book your O tours online. Always call O direct and speak to your preferred O “vacation planner.” YES, even if your cruise is booked with your “excellent” TA.

 

If you’re a regular here, you’ve heard me say that often. And something that happened yesterday reminded me to say it yet again.

 

Many of us know that there are three main pre-cruise sources of O tour info: the O website, the shore excursions pdf (provided by O) and the internal booking software used by O phone reps (both those reps used by passengers and those reps used by TAs).
 

We also know that those three O tour listing sources are in an independent state of flux, at least, within the 365 days preceding your cruise. Confounding that flux is the reality that the three different entities are sorely lacking in coordination and, even worse, apparent human and technical errors at O may escalate their disagreement about what tours are offered and/or are available.
 

For example, tours not listed in your most recent version of the pdf may not appear on the website (or vice versa). And, if you’re booked on a single segment cruise, you may see availability that I, on a multi-segment version that includes your cruise, may find “full” or otherwise “unavailable.” BTW, a common cause of this issue is human error at O when your booking allowance is opened for a cruise segment but mine (as part of a multi-segment cruise) is not. Simply put, someone forgets to “flip a switch” and you (or your TA) is screwed as regards tours.

 

So, what happened yesterday?

At just about 365 days prior to embark, I had recently received a surprisingly extensive shore excursions pdf for a future CPT-BCN cruise booked while O Life was still in effect. We went over our choices and I made a list of our desired tours including the O Life tours perk and old YWYW 25% discount calculations. (Whether I do my own tour booking or decide to use my TA, I always do that math).  Next, I looked at the O website to check availability (though I never really trust “full” below the tour  listing) and did my own pencil/paper cost computation (love that little mental exercise).

All looked good except for one tour that was already “full” more than 365 days prior to it date of activity! (apparently, SM has created a rush on early tour booking that will need to be addressed by O). The closed tour was the ultra-popular full day tour to the Alhambra /Granada.

 

i then called my trusted long serving O phone rep who (like the OCAs I use onboard) I often use for an initial cruise booking before doing the TA transfer (to get him credit since he is in a position to return the favor by taking the most immediate care of any initial booking glitches/questions while I am on the phone with him!) and we solidified our tours selection - except for the Alhambra one.
 

The rep confirmed that the tour was, in fact, “full” and offered to wait list it. But, then he paused and added “let me try something else.” Less than two minutes later, his next comment: “Got it.”

 

Now, could my “excellent” TA have accomplished the same end? Possibly/probably but, with popular tour booking, timing is often critical. Thus, in the time it would have taken to add another “cook (or two) stirring the broth,” I had already gotten immediate/final confirmation for what I needed within a single communication. And there are other similar examples of the value of the “right” O vacation planner (e.g., getting almost immediate (and reasonable) exceptions to O’s idiosyncratic restrictions) while you are still on that phone call.

 

Don’t get me wrong. I’ve got a great TA who is generous with rebates and who can/does handle fixing issues requiring her involvement (like securing fare price drop matches and other grey area $$$ items where her Agency’s relationship with O gives it great latitude).

 

In any case, at the bottom line, I continue to recommend developing a great relationship - not only with an exceptional TA (or two) but also - with a knowledgeable/well respected O “vacation planner.”

[Vineyard View]

Thank you flatbushflyer. This was a really interesting, and helpful thread. I appreciate your insight on this. I generally only engage with our TA, so this really resonates as a value add for the future. 

[pinotlover]

I have found ouTA fully competent in this area. All I have to do is send her an email, anything 24

hours a day, of what we want and it’s done. If one prefers to spend time on the phone, or is otherwise bored with nothing else to do, then calling Oceania is the thing for you. Myself, I have golf to play and a yard to mow, all that including cleaning up storm damage from last weekend. Whatever rocks your boat. Some people are far more into DIY than others.

[Flatbush Flyer]

7 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

I have found ouTA fully competent in this area. All I have to do is send her an email, anything 24

hours a day, of what we want and it’s done.

“don’t stop believing’”

[sunlover12]

@Flatbush Flyer thanks for that information.  I agree that the ship excursions are in a continual state of flux.  On my Canada cruise in 4 months it was recently showing some excursions were “not available”.  It’s now showing they’re all available to book. It could mean that those excursions were still being negotiated with the tour provider.  I don’t know….but it pays to keep checking regularly. 

[ronrick1943]

That is useful information.  We don't tour that much, however when we want a tour I'd hate to see it full. Thanks for the information.

[clo]

8 hours ago, pinotlover said:

hours a day, of what we want and it’s done. If one prefers to spend time on the phone, or is otherwise bored with nothing else to do, then calling Oceania is the thing for you. Myself, I have golf to play and a yard to mow, all that including cleaning up storm damage from last weekend. Whatever rocks your boat. Some people are far more into DIY than others.

I have an O rep 'buddy' and I have his personal email address. FWIW.

[Flatbush Flyer]

15 hours ago, sunlover12 said:

@Flatbush Flyer thanks for that information.  I agree that the ship excursions are in a continual state of flux.  On my Canada cruise in 4 months it was recently showing some excursions were “not available”.  It’s now showing they’re all available to book. It could mean that those excursions were still being negotiated with the tour provider.  I don’t know….but it pays to keep checking regularly. 

And often getting updated shore excursions PDFs as well. (I find them much easier to work with).

[pinotlover]

5 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

And often getting updated shore excursions PDFs as well. (I find them much easier to work with).

Just for general knowledge sake, since you start booking ship tours a year in advance, how often, or how many times during the course of that year, do you request a new tour pdf for each cruise?

[Flatbush Flyer]

14 hours ago, pinotlover said:

Just for general knowledge sake, since you start booking ship tours a year in advance, how often, or how many times during the course of that year, do you request a new tour pdf for each cruise?

Basically, for each cruise embark, I have on hand the original and “final pay” O invoices, the most updated version of our prepurchased tours pdf (the one with the math on it) and the version of the shorex pdf in effect at the time of the tours’ pre-purchase. Add to that the “cruise vacation summary” (.e., the emailed “final docs” and luggage tags) and the O boarding passes along with any required visas and, of course, valid passports and any other docs deemed appropriate..
 

That said, there can be numerous O shorex list PDFs over the 365 day pre-bark.” But, like the O fare invoices themselves, all that O passengers really should have onhand (in order to argue onboard account errors/disagreements - e.g., “I bought a very different tour than the one I just experienced”) are the initial booking docs and their most current versions. Note: Though I like hard copies, all my docs are also readily available on my iCloud.

 

And, finally, anytime either I or my TA does any transaction that generates a newer document version, I’ll end up with a copy. But, usually (as aforementioned), all that is necessarily in my onboard “doc packet” are the above mentioned items.