Interesting (and shocking) change to beverage package upgrade eff. Jan 1 2023

[DCGuy64]

We are very much looking forward to our first Oceania cruise in April of this year. Trying to get clarity on the price to upgrade our included House Select package (as part of Olife) to the Prestige, I reached out to Oceania a few minutes ago to ask. Here's what I was told:

Effective January 1, 2023, guests wishing to upgrade will pay $29.95 per person, per day, if they do the upgrade prior to sailing. If they wait until boarding, the upgrade price will be $69.95 per person, per day. Previously, I believe the upgrade price was $20, and recently changed to $30. Now it's being increased to a whopping $70. I asked the representative several times if that was the upgrade price, or the full package price (assuming no Olife), and time and again, she said "yes." So for our 10-day sailing, it would amount to $699.95 per person. She said "that is correct." I even remarked that the upgrade price is identical to what someone WITHOUT the House Select package would pay (in other words, effectively canceling the entire idea of an upgrade) and she said "yes, that is why we encourage people to do the upgrade prior to boarding." Based on this, I will not be upgrading at all. That is an outrageous price.

[Flatbush Flyer]

22 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

We are very much looking forward to our first Oceania cruise in April of this year. Trying to get clarity on the price to upgrade our included House Select package (as part of Olife) to the Prestige, I reached out to Oceania a few minutes ago to ask. Here's what I was told:

Effective January 1, 2023, guests wishing to upgrade will pay $29.95 per person, per day, if they do the upgrade prior to sailing. If they wait until boarding, the upgrade price will be $69.95 per person, per day. Previously, I believe the upgrade price was $20, and recently changed to $30. Now it's being increased to a whopping $70. I asked the representative several times if that was the upgrade price, or the full package price (assuming no Olife), and time and again, she said "yes." So for our 10-day sailing, it would amount to $699.95 per person. She said "that is correct." I even remarked that the upgrade price is identical to what someone WITHOUT the House Select package would pay (in other words, effectively canceling the entire idea of an upgrade) and she said "yes, that is why we encourage people to do the upgrade prior to boarding." Based on this, I will not be upgrading at all. That is an outrageous price.

Wrong. 
Sadly (and just like with some TAs), not all O phone reps “have a clue.” Call back to a different rep and you’ll get the correct info. 

That said, you may want to change your O Life perk to the excursions which (with the right allowable tour selections) can double their face value while also counting toward your cruise’s minimum requirement for the YWYW discount.

[susiesan]

A good reason to book cruise only and pay as you go for drinks.

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, DCGuy64 said:

We are very much looking forward to our first Oceania cruise in April of this year. Trying to get clarity on the price to upgrade our included House Select package (as part of Olife) to the Prestige, I reached out to Oceania a few minutes ago to ask. Here's what I was told:

Effective January 1, 2023, guests wishing to upgrade will pay $29.95 per person, per day, if they do the upgrade prior to sailing. If they wait until boarding, the upgrade price will be $69.95 per person, per day. Previously, I believe the upgrade price was $20, and recently changed to $30. Now it's being increased to a whopping $70. I asked the representative several times if that was the upgrade price, or the full package price (assuming no Olife), and time and again, she said "yes." So for our 10-day sailing, it would amount to $699.95 per person. She said "that is correct." I even remarked that the upgrade price is identical to what someone WITHOUT the House Select package would pay (in other words, effectively canceling the entire idea of an upgrade) and she said "yes, that is why we encourage people to do the upgrade prior to boarding." Based on this, I will not be upgrading at all. That is an outrageous price.

you cannot trust the phone reps  😉

 

[DCGuy64]

2 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

you cannot trust the phone reps  😉

 

Well that's reassuring. 😉 Can't trust the phone reps, can't trust the chat reps, what's left?

 

14 minutes ago, susiesan said:

A good reason to book cruise only and pay as you go for drinks.

Yeah, I'm thinking about doing that. (Not sure I can, though, this was purchased via a travel agency)

 

35 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Again, if you want the “prestige package,”prebuy it outright and switch O Life to excursions (then search for my several detailed posts about how to get the most out of that perk and YWYW). Otherwise, switch to “cruise only” and go from there.

At this point, I'm considering (but haven't made a final decision on) sticking with the O Life bev package and buying any extra drinks on an à la carte basis. Based on my recent drinking habits, I'm very likely not going to come out ahead by upgrading to Prestige. We'll see.

[LHT28]

5 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Well that's reassuring. 😉 Can't trust the phone reps, can't trust the chat reps, what's left?

 

At this point, I'm considering (but haven't made a final decision on) sticking with the O Life bev package and buying any extra drinks on an à la carte basis. Based on my recent drinking habits, I'm very likely not going to come out ahead by upgrading to Prestige. We'll see.

unfortunately  it has been the case for many years that some phone reps  do not  know what they are talking about

That is why I never call Oceania  I get my TA to find out  the answers to any of my questions

 

Figure out  how much you drink  outside of lunch/dinner wine/beer package  then you can see if the $30 PP PD is worth it to you  or just pay as you drink

you do not need to upgrade  as soon as you board you can take a few days to see  how much you actually consume  then decide

JMO

[MEFIowa]

30 minutes ago, susiesan said:

A good reason to book cruise only and pay as you go for drinks.

Though a better reason to bring your own on board at embarkation! And bring back beer, hard liquor and wine from ports/excursions. Just bizarre to read the whining about alcohol. You'd think some O cruisers just want to stay inebriated all day on their drinks package. If they want to drink as much as they want, then they pay the going rate O charges. 

[DCGuy64]

8 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

unfortunately  it has been the case for many years that some phone reps  do not  know what they are talking about

That is why I never call Oceania  I get my TA to find out  the answers to any of my questions

 

Figure out  how much you drink  outside of lunch/dinner wine/beer package  then you can see if the $30 PP PD is worth it to you  or just pay as you drink

you do not need to upgrade  as soon as you board you can take a few days to see  how much you actually consume  then decide

JMO

Believe me, I hear what you're saying, and I want to believe it. However, you don't work for Oceania, but the phone representative who does, told me point-blank that (assuming you wait until you're onboard to upgrade) it MUST be done within 24 hours (so not day 3, 4, 5, etc, only day 1 or max. day 2). Is she wrong? Maybe, but what choice do I have but to believe them? It's not a big deal, BTW, and it's not something I need an answer to right now. Our cruise is more than 3 months away. But it IS somewhat aggravating, in very much a 1st world problem kind of way. If you were a customer of my company and I told you not to believe the 3 phone reps who work for the company, but only a customer of the same, I think you might be rather annoyed at that.

[LHT28]

4 minutes ago, MEFIowa said:

Though a better reason to bring your own on board at embarkation! And bring back beer, hard liquor and wine from ports/excursions.

This  too may change 😉

 

[LHT28]

1 minute ago, DCGuy64 said:

Believe me, I hear what you're saying, and I want to believe it. However, you don't work for Oceania, but the phone representative who does, told me point-blank that (assuming you wait until you're onboard to upgrade) it MUST be done within 24 hours (so not day 3, 4, 5, etc, only day 1 or max. day 2). Is she wrong? Maybe, but what choice do I have but to believe them? It's not a big deal, BTW, and it's not something I need an answer to right now. Our cruise is more than 3 months away. But it IS somewhat aggravating, in very much a 1st world problem kind of way. If you were a customer of my company and I told you not to believe the 3 phone reps who work for the company, but only a customer of the same, I think you might be rather annoyed at that.

sorry   but  I have sailed with O since 2004  & it is the same story

phone reps giving misinformation

but  you can make up your own mind what to believe 

Enjoy the cruise

[DCGuy64]

2 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

sorry   but  I have sailed with O since 2004  & it is the same story

phone reps giving misinformation

but  you can make up your own mind what to believe 

Enjoy the cruise

Over the 18, almost 19 years you've sailed with O, whom did you believe when you had to get information? I'd really appreciate knowing what, if any, reliable sources of information there are out there. Thanks, and rest assured we very much look forward to our cruise (assuming it sails-it's in Japan and we've had 2 such cruises cancelled due to Covid, we're hopeful but also cautious).

[MEFIowa]

4 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

This too may change 😉

 

IF it does, hope it's after my B2B in the Med later this year. The prices around the Baltic probably won't be too great anyway for our cruise there in late 2024. Glad we booked early & on some sales to avoid price increases.

 

But after 2024 I'm more interested in extended stays specific places. Likely could be the end of my cruising. Don't want tourist traps or heavily trafficked places. So...Madagascar in 2025 and Surinam & Guiana in 2026. Spent 2 magical weeks in Paraguay in 2022 and that's the only way to truly experience some place you either have fallen in love with or want to. (I have to stop reading John Gimlette's great travel works!) 

[LHT28]

3 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Over the 18, almost 19 years you've sailed with O, whom did you believe when you had to get information? I'd really appreciate knowing what, if any, reliable sources of information there are out there.

My TA

[pinotlover]

6 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

My TA

+1000!

[davencl]

34 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Well that's reassuring. 😉 Can't trust the phone reps, can't trust the chat reps, what's left?

 

 

In my case I'm resigned to believing only what I see in writing and the charges on by credit card. 🙂 

[Robjame]

As of this morning info - prestige package costs $30 pp pd after you have acquired the House Select Package whether by OLife or pre purchase or purchase on the ship.

[Robjame]

Hang on to your suspenders:

 

We just spent a half hour talking to a bar tender

 

Bar tenders and assistant bartenders do NOT participate in or share in the gratuities. They are salaried. If you tip within the system, they do not get any of that - none of the 20% drink fee, none of your 18 (23) % daily gratuity, none of the added tip you put on the bar tab when you order a drink. 
If you give the bar tender cash, he does keep that.

The bar waiter DOES participate in the tips which is why a bar tender will encourage you to order through a bar waiter.

 

Lesson - tip in cash

- order through a bar waiter

[pinotlover]

There are multiple destinations, including Embarkment ports, that are either wine or alcohol deserts, or the taxes so high they make Oceania prices look cheap.

 

One is not going to a Baltic port and buy wine to bring aboard. The alcohol taxes plus VAT are outrageous! Same with other destinations. We bring wine abroad when we can. When we can’t, we pay the Oceania piper.

[DCGuy64]

4 minutes ago, Robjame said:

As of this morning info - prestige package costs $30 pp pd after you have acquired the House Select Package whether by OLife or pre purchase or purchase on the ship.

Thank you. Of course, as you say, "as of this morning..." 😆

 

15 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

My TA

Forgive the sarcasm (it's not aimed towards you), but when a TA who presumably doesn't work for the cruise line is more trustworthy than the employees who do, that's sad. I don't doubt that we'll have a super cruise, I see tons of great reviews of Oceania so I'm not worried, but I am disappointed not to be able to get a straight answer from them. And by no means is inconsistency confined to Oceania, however this is a LOT more expensive than we usually pay, so I was hoping for better customer service, and that's a (minor) letdown.

[meg1021]

12 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

My TA

You're very fortunate to have a knowledgeable TA, fluent in Oceania-speak. We're leaving on the January 15th, 2023 sailing on Insignia.  I emailed my TA with 5 questions that I need answers to on January 1st.  I realize that was a holiday weekend, so I didn't expect a prompt reply, but here it is, a Friday afternoon, and I have yet to hear from her.  I will give it until Monday, and then try another email or phone call.  In addition to that, she's given us incorrect information regarding O Life, but apologized for the mistake.  All in all, somewhat frustrating, for a first time Oceania customer.  I have read the message boards, and fortunately had some of my questions answered by fellow posters, who have sailed with Oceania in the past, and seem to be familiar with a lot of the quirks of their perks, amenities, and various website issues.

[Jancruz]

58 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

unfortunately  it has been the case for many years that some phone reps  do not  know what they are talking about

That is why I never call Oceania  I get my TA to find out  the answers to any of my questions

 

Figure out  how much you drink  outside of lunch/dinner wine/beer package  then you can see if the $30 PP PD is worth it to you  or just pay as you drink

you do not need to upgrade  as soon as you board you can take a few days to see  how much you actually consume  then decide

JMO

Lyn,

You are one of the smartest people on this board..

Jancruz1

[1985rz1]

5 minutes ago, meg1021 said:

You're very fortunate to have a knowledgeable TA, fluent in Oceania-speak. We're leaving on the January 15th, 2023 sailing on Insignia.  I emailed my TA with 5 questions that I need answers to on January 1st.  I realize that was a holiday weekend, so I didn't expect a prompt reply, but here it is, a Friday afternoon, and I have yet to hear from her.  I will give it until Monday, and then try another email or phone call.  In addition to that, she's given us incorrect information regarding O Life, but apologized for the mistake.  All in all, somewhat frustrating, for a first time Oceania customer.  I have read the message boards, and fortunately had some of my questions answered by fellow posters, who have sailed with Oceania in the past, and seem to be familiar with a lot of the quirks of their perks, amenities, and various website issues.

Having a knowledgeable TA, fluent in Oceania speak, and responds quickly to inquiries is indeed a treasure.  Those with strong connections with Oceania have a dedicated, experienced contact who is knowledgeable and truthful.  We've had ours for 12 years and never had a complaint.  She usually responds with in hours  (almost always within an hour even if it's only an acknowledgement of our inquiry and to let us know she's on it).  If she is out of town, she always provides a contact, one of her colleagues, who also is quick to respond.  I'm sorry yours doesn't seem to have this same professionalism and commitment to customer service.

[DCGuy64]

41 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

My TA

We have an excellent TA, too. However, this cruise was not booked by him, I received a brochure in the mail last year from my university's alumni association and it was booked through the travel agency they used. This is our first time doing a "co-branded" event featuring the alumni association. I got the impression this kind of thing is popular. All of our other cruises have been booked and managed by our excellent TA, just not this one. The travel agency has been great with responding to my emails, but I (apparently naively, in retrospect) thought calling the cruise line directly about this would be better. Lesson learned!

[Amber14]

59 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Over the 18, almost 19 years you've sailed with O, whom did you believe when you had to get information? I'd really appreciate knowing what, if any, reliable sources of information there are out there. Thanks, and rest assured we very much look forward to our cruise (assuming it sails-it's in Japan and we've had 2 such cruises cancelled due to Covid, we're hopeful but also cautious).

After receiving different answers from Oceania reps, my TA contacted her Oceania Business Development Manager and they confirmed what you were told - $30 pp pd before you board to upgrade and $40 if you do it on the ship. Here's their reply:

 

Here is the accurate information reflecting the price changes with the drinks package

 

Advance Purchase (Prior to Sailing)
$29.95 per guest, per day – House Select
$59.95 per guest, per day – Prestige Select

 

Onboard Purchase
$39.95 per guest, per day – House Select
$69.95 per guest, per day – Prestige Select

 

For those guests who have selected the beverage package (House Select) as their OLife Choice amenity and wish to upgrade once they are on board, the upgrade will be based on the onboard purchase price of $69.95 per guest, per day.

 

If your guest has selected the Drinks Package as part of OLife, and do wish to upgrade the guest would be responsible for the new cost of $30 per day per person.  If they were to do this onboard it would be the $40 difference

[DCGuy64]

11 minutes ago, Amber14 said:

After receiving different answers from Oceania reps, my TA contacted her Oceania Business Development Manager and they confirmed what you were told - $30 pp pd before you board to upgrade and $40 if you do it on the ship. Here's their reply:

 

Here is the accurate information reflecting the price changes with the drinks package

 

Advance Purchase (Prior to Sailing)
$29.95 per guest, per day – House Select
$59.95 per guest, per day – Prestige Select

 

Onboard Purchase
$39.95 per guest, per day – House Select
$69.95 per guest, per day – Prestige Select

 

For those guests who have selected the beverage package (House Select) as their OLife Choice amenity and wish to upgrade once they are on board, the upgrade will be based on the onboard purchase price of $69.95 per guest, per day.

 

If your guest has selected the Drinks Package as part of OLife, and do wish to upgrade the guest would be responsible for the new cost of $30 per day per person.  If they were to do this onboard it would be the $40 difference

Thank you for confirming that.