OLife Excursions

[sammiedawg]

Oceania just did something very nice - it opened OLife up to ALL passengers regardless of where they sleep! The fares had gone up, but perks didn't go with them. Now everyone can enjoy and decide what they want to do, not what Oceania says they have to do!! Arlene

 

Can you elaborate on what changes they made?

Thanks so much

[LHT28]

Can you elaborate on what changes they made?

Thanks so much

I am guessing they now allow those in the insides & oceanview cabins to get the "FREE" excursions

[Mura]

My question goes back to my original question which I posed to myself back on Renaissance. There is no way the ship (even at 684 passengers) could accommodate ALL passengers on ship's tours. So it seemed to me that the cruise line should not object to passengers who did private tours ... and back then, we weren't savvy enough to do so. (Proviso: the ship understandably didn't want you to advertise on board that you were looking for people to join a private tour.)

 

So on the big ships it should be even more difficult to accommodate all passengers on the "free" excursions.

 

Does this mean that not enough passengers in the "upper classes" are responding to oLife so that these tours are now being opened to everyone?

 

If so, that should relieve those passengers who are concerned (as DIY people) that it will become too difficult to find other people to share private tours.

 

Curioser and curioser ...

 

Mura

[tanny18]

My question goes back to my original question which I posed to myself back on Renaissance. There is no way the ship (even at 684 passengers) could accommodate ALL passengers on ship's tours. So it seemed to me that the cruise line should not object to passengers who did private tours ... and back then, we weren't savvy enough to do so. (Proviso: the ship understandably didn't want you to advertise on board that you were looking for people to join a private tour.)

 

So on the big ships it should be even more difficult to accommodate all passengers on the "free" excursions.

 

Does this mean that not enough passengers in the "upper classes" are responding to oLife so that these tours are now being opened to everyone?

 

If so, that should relieve those passengers who are concerned (as DIY people) that it will become too difficult to find other people to share private tours.

 

Curioser and curioser ...

 

Mura

I totally agree that the ship cannot accommodate all the passengers on the "FREE" shore excursions. As a DIY person for the last 18 years of sailing, I only welcome the fact that Oceania has seen fit to include all of its passengers in its promotions. They have finally come to some of their senses and done this. Maybe next they will offer $999 business fare to everyone:rolleyes:. So, I will continue to book my own excursions and look for others to join me (and on our cruise next June where OLife is in place, I have appx. 20 others who will not take part in OLife). Mura, there will always be people like you and me who want our independence!!

 

But it is nice to know that there is no "discrimination" on Oceania's part. I don't believe O's thinking is that there will be NO independent travel, given the fact that ALL the excursions are not included, only a few. Arlene

[Mura]

True enough, Arlene. The oLife tours are the less expensive ones. You still may more for the super-duper tours and the smaller group tours.

 

For our Oct '16 Sirena cruise we were happy to take advantage of the oLife options but I would not do so on a different itinerary. We have done these ports before. We opted for the Reid's Hotel "tea" excursion in Funchal because my parents stayed there years ago and just loved it ... this is the closest I will get to that hotel and since it was included in the oLife tours, how could I say no? Instead of $180pp (or was it $130?), we pay zilch.

 

For another itinerary we MIGHT take advantage of an oLife tour or maybe two, but not in general.

 

Mura

[LHT28]

Maybe people in the lower Cat complained the price went up like the other Cat but were not part of the O life deal

 

I will try to avoid any cruises with the O life deal

I dislike big bus tours free or not

 

JMO

[bitob]

We just got 5 "free" O life excursions with our booking. Does anyone know if Oceania will give you a credit if you don't want to take them?

[StanandJim]

We just got 5 "free" O life excursions with our booking. Does anyone know if Oceania will give you a credit if you don't want to take them?

 

 

No sir, just as Stan won't ever see dime for the cheese he won't ever eat in any of the restaurants, your excursions are yours to enjoy.......or not..........as you see fit. But no refunds.

[bitob]

It's beginning to sound like Regent. Ugh

[bitob]

Another question. Is there a date certain for each cruise when the OLife excursions become available for booking?

[LHT28]

Another question. Is there a date certain for each cruise when the OLife excursions become available for booking?

I thought the program started for April cruises to certain areas

if that is what you are asking

 

I would prefer an opt out option also

[ORV]

We just got 5 "free" O life excursions with our booking. Does anyone know if Oceania will give you a credit if you don't want to take them?

 

I like your logic. I'm wondering if I could get a credit for not going to afternoon tea or not using the pool or never drinking any coffees or not going to the shows?

 

Frankly I wish they'd start including the drink package as a perk, but can you imagine the furor that'd stir?

[bitob]

I like your logic. I'm wondering if I could get a credit for not going to afternoon tea or not using the pool or never drinking any coffees or not going to the shows?

 

 

 

Frankly I wish they'd start including the drink package as a perk, but can you imagine the furor that'd stir?

 

 

The difference with excursions is that they have a published cost and they are not included generally in the cruise fare -- unlike cheese or coffee or tea

 

I wish they would offer an option such as free o excursions or drink credits or spa credits. Assuming each excursion is $100 pp that's $1000 value I'd rather use elsewhere.

[ORV]

The difference with excursions is that they have a published cost and they are not included generally in the cruise fare -- unlike cheese or coffee or tea

 

I wish they would offer an option such as free o excursions or drink credits or spa credits. Assuming each excursion is $100 pp that's $1000 value I'd rather use elsewhere.

 

I don't disagree with you, although the actual cost of the excursion to them is probably much lower.

 

But I don't expect them to change. They know there will be lots of folks that never take advantage of it.

[Paulchili]

The difference with excursions is that they have a published cost and they are not included generally in the cruise fare -- unlike cheese or coffee or tea

 

I wish they would offer an option such as free o excursions or drink credits or spa credits. Assuming each excursion is $100 pp that's $1000 value I'd rather use elsewhere.

 

Actually the O Life seems like a very good "value".

For many cruises that were booked before O Life became available the cost to "upgrade" to O Life later was around $200 or $300 in most cases, IIRC.

If you add the value of O Life (free unlimited internet, PPG as OBC and 3-5 shore excursions) then this will be much more than the $200 or $300 that one paid to upgrade to O Life. Especially so for those that receive full value of PPG as OBC (Silver or higher before 12/31/14?). Presumably, but not definitely, that is the added cost for O Life now that it is no longer is an option.

In my case I usually receive so much OBC (due to a number of reasons) that I "must" use it for shore excursions or lose it. We don't drink and there is only so much jewelry one can buy cruise after cruise. So while we prefer private tours it is not a realistic option for us in most cases (except for a few select ones).

[Paulchili]

I wanted to add to my post above that the O Life is a good value for some but not all. That goes without saying as we all have different preferences and priorities.

Just like some will use their OBC for tours while others will use it for drink packages, La Reserve, Privee, spa or gifts - to each their own.

If O Life (or some version thereof) will become a permanent fixture on O, some will welcome it and others may move on to other cruise lines that fit their needs better for future cruises.

Edited October 8, 2015 by Paulchili

[Cruzin Terri]

I am new to Oceania and the Baltic cruise we are taking in August will be our first. We like to do private tours. Our booking allows seven free excursions. So far we have booked six. We seemed to get around the private tour thing by booking transfers from the port to the city. This will save us the expense of a taxi or other transportation and yet give us the freedom to be on our own once we get to the destination.

 

I hope it will work.

Terri

[globevest]

Paul...I agree with your sentiments.

[buggins0402]

I am new to Oceania and the Baltic cruise we are taking in August will be our first. We like to do private tours. Our booking allows seven free excursions. So far we have booked six. We seemed to get around the private tour thing by booking transfers from the port to the city. This will save us the expense of a taxi or other transportation and yet give us the freedom to be on our own once we get to the destination.

 

I hope it will work.

Terri

 

I did the same thing.

 

I wish O would have end of cruise transport into cities like Rome or the airport as an option as an "excursion" choice. It would be an inexpensive "tour" to offer.

[LHT28]

 

I wish O would have end of cruise transport into cities like Rome or the airport as an option as an "excursion" choice. It would be an inexpensive "tour" to offer.

They do for some ports but you do not find out until you are on the cruise & close to disembarkation day ;)

[LHT28]

It is like FREE air not everyone wants it but they get to opt out

The O life excursions you are paying for them in the fare but you cannot opt out

 

They cost more than some cheese & afternoon tea :rolleyes:

 

If it works for you great it is like everything you can use them or not you still pay

Edited October 8, 2015 by LHT28

[PirateShark]

I think the value OLife really depends on your cruise pricing, itinerary and how many times you have been to that destination. For example, this is our third cruise to Alaska and have "hit" all the grand and expensive excursions. This time we were just going to go out and explore on our own, maybe take in the Raptor Center in Sitka (the only item we really wanted to do and haven't yet) and call it a trip.

 

But, with OLife, we decided to take some of these excursions anyway and still have plenty of time for DIY at the ports. Once you added in the price reduction savings from our original price, the credit for the air fare (doing our own), the PPG and free internet, well it is a relative bargain when compared to some of the other cruises we looked at during the same time period. Even with the Prestige Beverage package ;) So we are very pleased with OLife but realize that this is our perception and for our next O trip, it may not make much sense.

[StanandJim]

It is like FREE air not everyone wants it but they get to opt out

The O life excursions you are paying for them in the fare but you cannot opt out

 

They cost more than some cheese & afternoon tea :rolleyes:

 

If it works for you great it is like everything you can use them or not you still pay

 

Look at it this way, they tried it the à la carte way for the first ten years, and all that we heard was complaints about the price and quality of the shore excursions.

 

Passengers of an ambitious nature were able to do their own thing, but that left a significant demographic unserved and unhappy.

 

If OLife, and the increased budget which it brings, improves the Excursions from Serviceable to Spectacular, who knows? Everybody might benefit.

 

I say give OLife a chance, if it doesn't fly it will go the way of the free pre-cruise hotel stays, or the Chef's Patio Dinners.....

[LHT28]

<<<<If OLife, and the increased budget which it brings, improves the Excursions from Serviceable to Spectacular, who knows? Everybody might benefit.

 

I say give OLife a chance, if it doesn't fly it will go the way of the free pre-cruise hotel stays, or the Chef's Patio Dinners..... >>>

I do not think they will improve but that is JMO

 

The pre cruise stays were optional & the patio dinners were for a select few... they were not charged extra for the dinners it was a perk for getting a Suite

 

Not really comparable IMO

 

To each his own

 

 

Edited October 8, 2015 by LHT28

[StanandJim]

<<<<If OLife, and the increased budget which it brings, improves the Excursions from Serviceable to Spectacular, who knows? Everybody might benefit.

 

I say give OLife a chance, if it doesn't fly it will go the way of the free pre-cruise hotel stays, or the Chef's Patio Dinners..... >>>

I do not think they will improve but that is JMO

 

The pre cruise stays were optional & the patio dinners were for a select few... they were not charged extra for the dinners it was a perk for getting a Suite

 

Not really comparable IMO

 

 

 

To each his own

 

 

 

I believe that the pre-cruise hotel night was included, if one was flying a sufficient distance, but so many people opted out immediately that the process was scrapped after only a few months.

 

Not arriving on Embarkation day does elevate the Cruise experience, and in time the economy of scale might have resulted in some great hotels being offered at some real savings, but, from what I've read here, the option of cancelling the hotel and getting a rebate was offered too early and this doomed the policy by turning it into a glorified cash rebate.