New to Oceania...Current Upgrade Promotion Question

Hello, we are going on our very first cruise on HAL to Alaska in 2 weeks. We've always wanted to see Alaska and after my husband had a very serious health crisis (at age 47) in 2015, we realized we better start checking off those bucket list items. Cuba is next on the bucket list as my husband is Cuban (born in Venezuela after his parents left Cuba). We want the most time in Cuba as possible and it looks like RC and Oceania provide this. Obviously, there is a price difference, but I am starting to see Oceania may be the better "deal" considering what you get on each line, the age of the ships, the atmosphere, etc.

I will call Oceania tomorrow, but was wondering if anyone had details on the Memorial Day Cabin Upgrade promo they are running this weekend. The site is vague. They want you to call for info.

Thank you for any info you can provide.

Apologies, one more question: If you go with OLife air, do you have an control over the timing? We would want to fly to Miami to the day before to visit family.

You will pay an air deviation fee to customize your air schedule. Many O customers take an air credit and book their own air. Every situation is different. Request pricing with and without air.

Generally cabin upgrade promos are not great deals, especially if it is one that upgrades you within the same cabin category. Of course check it out.

We think Oceania is worth a higher price than the mass market lines. But I shop around like I do for anything else I buy. Get quotes from high volume travel agent sites.

If you want to fly in early you can book the cruise with O life perks & take the air credit & book your own flights

option 2 take the Oceania air along with the O Life perks & pay a deviation fee to choose the flights/days you want

option 3 take the cruise only fare ..no air or O life perks

I would check the cruises that offer the upgrade it is specific sailings only

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/special-offers/sail-away-special/

Thank you!

Hello, we are going on our very first cruise on HAL to Alaska in 2 weeks. We've always wanted to see Alaska and after my husband had a very serious health crisis (at age 47) in 2015, we realized we better start checking off those bucket list items. Cuba is next on the bucket list as my husband is Cuban (born in Venezuela after his parents left Cuba). We want the most time in Cuba as possible and it looks like RC and Oceania provide this. Obviously, there is a price difference, but I am starting to see Oceania may be the better "deal" considering what you get on each line, the age of the ships, the atmosphere, etc.

 

 

 

I will call Oceania tomorrow, but was wondering if anyone had details on the Memorial Day Cabin Upgrade promo they are running this weekend. The site is vague. They want you to call for info.

 

 

 

Thank you for any info you can provide.

It's just a cabin upgrade on the listed cruises. All else is the same.

We just finished a B2B cruise in May going around Cuba twice as doing a 7 day cruise is just too short for us any more. It was quite an experience and you will have a wonderful time. The lectures by Sandy Cares, usually 2 per day on sea days, were great and the food was wonderful!! Be prepared to have a great time if you choose O.

I ended up booking a cruise on RCL however that was only because Oceania was fully booked for when we wanted to go and I didn't want waitlist.

The RCL ship, Empress of the Seas, that they typically use for Cuba is an old ship without the bells and whistles of most of the other RCL ships.

In other words I would pick Oceania over RCL if they are available. Also, I would check rates etc. however it looks like you are from NJ and rates to Florida from EWR or other airports in the area are usually low enough I wouldn't use the air from Oceania.

The cruise I am currently booked on with O I didn't even take the Olife package, just bare cruise. However, that is because the cruise is NOT to Cuba. With Cuba you have a lot of considerations because of US regulations. I would call because you might have to use the O excursions. Then the choice of Olife becomes more complicated since they have an option for shore excursions.

FYI, it seems that O likes you to book through travel agents so once I got info from O I would book through a TA.

Going to Cuba doesn't involve any great regulations. Just back, the paperwork is just to instill fear.

Going to Cuba doesn't involve any great regulations. Just back, the paperwork is just to instill fear.

agree