Oceania loyalty program is awful

We got a brochure with fares applicable to all Canadian residents.

When we pointed out that we had been on 3 Oceania cruises before (total of 46 days) we were told we are not entitled to any further allowances or discounts or cabin credits.

All we get is an invitation to a cocktail party.

We have sailed many times with other cruise lines and we get much better treatment from HAL, Princess and Celebrity.

Quite shocking.

We got a brochure with fares applicable to all Canadian residents.

When we pointed out that we had been on 3 Oceania cruises before (total of 46 days) we were told we are not entitled to any further allowances or discounts or cabin credits.

All we get is an invitation to a cocktail party.

We have sailed many times with other cruise lines and we get much better treatment from HAL, Princess and Celebrity.

Quite shocking.

I'd hate to be labeled a cheerleader here, because I'm not, I just call it the way I see it. I couldn't disagree with you more. Yes, just like any cruise line while you're in the bottom level you get nothing but fluff. On the other hand once you reach Bronze it gets pretty good, Silver even better and only better from there.

Would you like to know how much OBC I get for being Elite on Celebrity? $000.00 A bag of laundry and a few internet minutes. A few other really marginal perks.

I think you need to take a look at the higher levels, and realize that they DO reward loyalty. But it takes a while.

We got a brochure with fares applicable to all Canadian residents.

When we pointed out that we had been on 3 Oceania cruises before (total of 46 days) we were told we are not entitled to any further allowances or discounts or cabin credits.

All we get is an invitation to a cocktail party.

We have sailed many times with other cruise lines and we get much better treatment from HAL, Princess and Celebrity.

Quite shocking.

Which one of those 3 cruise lines above gives you a free cruise after 20 cruises? That obviously is worth several thousand $$$ :D

Which one gives you $400/$500/$600 OBC, PPG, spa credit, etc?

Take a look at this:

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/experience/oceania-club/levels/

and then show me how those other cruise lines give you more for your loyalty.

Also have to disagree. HAL, Princess and Celebrity are not in the same class as Oceania!

Which one of those 3 cruise lines above gives you a free cruise after 20 cruises? That obviously is worth several thousand $$$ :D

Which one gives you $400/$500/$600 OBC, PPG, spa credit, etc?

Take a look at this:

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/experience/oceania-club/levels/

and then show me how those other cruise lines give you more for your loyalty.

Those really are substantial perks ~ Something to look forward to.

We got a brochure with fares applicable to all Canadian residents.

When we pointed out that we had been on 3 Oceania cruises before (total of 46 days) we were told we are not entitled to any further allowances or discounts or cabin credits.

All we get is an invitation to a cocktail party.

We have sailed many times with other cruise lines and we get much better treatment from HAL, Princess and Celebrity.

Quite shocking.

After 19 cruises and tons of OBC, spa treatments and free air deviation, we had our 20th cruise!! That's what you get for loyalty! Very little can beat that.

Well, not to be a downer here..BUT Oceania does change their Loyalty Benefits periodically so be aware.

On NCL, we made Platinum after 3 cruises -- 75 points needed, 82 points accrued. Certainly faster than Oceania. But, so what -- almost everyone else is Platinum, also. It's too easy. The perks are pretty much worthless compared to the $200 OBC after just 5 cruises on Oceania. There is no exclusiveness to be Platinum.

After two cruises on Celebrity, we're halfway to Elite. Same thing -- almost everyone's Elite, no exclusiveness.

After 10 cruises and over 160 days on Oceania, we're finally Silver. We get $400 OBC and complimentary gratuities on every cruise (since we have always received gratuities from our agent, and gratuities offered on many cruises, we get additional OBC in lieu of the extra gratuities) are on every cruise. Our next cruise is the world cruise with 15 loyalty credits; when we get home we'll be Platinum and be looking forward to our free cruise; we'll get $600 OBC, complimentary deviations, spa credits, discounts and more. It can add up to a couple of thousand per cruise.

In other words, the loyalty program is great -- you just have to work a lot harder at it than the mainstream cruises. They don't add much of anything on later cruises; now that we're Platinum on NCL, we'll get exactly the same perks from 75 points to to 250 points, when we'll receive a "special milestone gift". Big whoop. Now that I'm over the hump, I'll take Oceania's loyalty program over any other.

Of course, this is an instant gratification world -- if the lower tiers of the loyalty program bother someone so much, they can always choose some other cruise line.

Is that cheerleading? Nope -- just my opinion, formed for the reasons I stated above.

All loyalty programs are marketing tools to keep you coming back, and it seems they work well in many cases. I am happy to get what ever I do, regardless if its a free dinner for two with wine, laundry, internet, free cocktails each night or a on board credit and a discount on lines named clothing, even a free cruise. However one should not loose sight of how much it cost in cruise fare to get these "freebies".

I have our 3rd cruise coming up on HAL wow I just looked at the benefits

I can hardly wait to get the Photo of the ship :rolleyes:

If I spend $300 onboard I get an extra point WOO HOO :D

We got a brochure with fares applicable to all Canadian residents.

When we pointed out that we had been on 3 Oceania cruises before (total of 46 days) we were told we are not entitled to any further allowances or discounts or cabin credits.

All we get is an invitation to a cocktail party.

We have sailed many times with other cruise lines and we get much better treatment from HAL, Princess and Celebrity.

Quite shocking.

Heck with 3 cruises I had well 70 days.... and this sept ,I will go bronze $200 and that's with 97 days!!!....

Your. 46 is hardly in the game...

.With Oceania you "earn" perks and unlike those "other" lines that blow smoke up the southern portion of your anatomy giving you some "royal" title on their mass market sea carnivals!!! People running around with their special little pin and showing off to each other...like a bunch of peacocks.!!!! ( you don't see that on Oceiana)

Oceania is the in the big league and doesn't play the silly little games of the others.... Be patient and you will earn your place in the program...and its worth something.

This is really about money, with 97 days I would think you spent at least 75k, and you got back 200$. That's nice but I would not do back flips. With a 1% cash back card you would get 750$.

Well he did get the value of the cruises that he went on, and that's worth something. And, he got to meet me and you just can't put a value on that. :eek:

The perks are nice, but we aren't spending the money for the cruise to get the perks, we're spending it to go on the cruise.

PS, knowing Dan I'm sure he got a better return in value than 1% on the money he spent for his cruises. He's a reward hog.

I think it would be preferable to add up the number of days cruised rather than the number of voyages - I really can't see any reason not to do that. Does a very long cruise still just count as one?

I think that's the thing I am having the most trouble with..... we dont stick with the same cruise line so we have a lot of days on HAL, Princess and Celebrity and the loyalty programs depend on days cruised.

To me that makes the most sense.

BTW I have zero interest in pins or other peacock manifestations.

I am only interested in getting tangible benefits such as free internet etc etc.

We got a brochure with fares applicable to all Canadian residents.

/quote]

 

Is it possible you are talking about the Canadian Resident Rate? That is available to Canadians on specific cruises and there are quite a few and it says "Ask for promo code: CANADA"

 

It has nothing to do with how many cruises you have taken with Oceania.

taken from O's website:

Oceania Club Levels

More Rewarding than Ever

Club Members qualify for Oceania Club Level status based on the number of cruise credits earned.

• Cruises up to 24 days will receive one cruise credit
  
• Cruises 25-34 days will receive two cruise credits
  
• Cruises 35-44 days will receive three cruise credits
  
• Cruises 45-54 days will receive four cruise credits
  
• Cruises 55-64 days will receive five cruise credits
  
• Cruises 65-179 days will receive seven cruise credits
  
• Cruises 180 + days will receive fifteen cruise credits
  

I think that O is pretty good in the loyalty area. Just booked our 9th cruise and look forward to booking the 10th. Don't go on O for the rewards but they are nice to have when we do go. :):)

Personal choice

I would rather sail on O than other main stream lines

no matter what the loyalty program is

YMMV

+1,000,000!!!

Personal choice

I would rather sail on O than other main stream lines

no matter what the loyalty program is

 

YMMV

WE think O is much more upscale than just a main stream line. Not perfect, but gets our vote all the time. :):):)

Would you fly Malaysia airlines if they gave you a free flight for every flight you pay for?

It's not about the loyalty program; it's about the product offered

Would you fly Malaysia airlines if they gave you a free flight for every flight you pay for?

 

It's not about the loyalty program; it's about the product offered

Bottom line, is that we think that the product is very good. Loyalty program is just an extra. :):):)

Bottom line, is that we think that the product is very good. Loyalty program is just an extra. :):):)

I would agree with you ;)

As would I. And while we weren't that impressed either with the "rewards" early on, once you pass 10 cruises they become quite significant.

Mura