Benefits to Booking future cruise on board

[hmorrow]

What are the usual benefits on Oceania for booking a future cruise onboard, and what is the usual deposit?

[Jim and Monika]

We always have booked onboard. Our last cruise booked was $250/person deposit, discounted pricing and $300 onboard credit. The extra OBC doesn't seem to be constant. If you get a flyer in your cabin with $300 OBC and you want to book, do it. Later in our cruise it was $100 OBC, not sure if it actually changed overall, or if it went down because we already booked one. It also comes with a 1 time change for free and price match.

[jennybenny]

oce_oceaniaclub.pdf

They send this to us about benefits of booking on board

[hmorrow]

1 hour ago, jennybenny said:

oce_oceaniaclub.pdf 557.45 kB · 7 downloads

They send this to us about benefits of booking on board

Exactly what I was looking for!

thanks

[CruisinShips]

Can you transfer a cruise booked onboard to a TA?

[MEFIowa]

Though I've never read anyone who did BOTH, the on-board booking WHILE there is a cabin-upgrade sale. I've always wondered if you can enjoy the benefits of both. And seems like many complain later that when a BETTER future sale happens (e.g., the current Extraordinary Saving Sale), they can't combine the two and that gets them upset.

[LHT28]

19 minutes ago, CruisinShips said:

Can you transfer a cruise booked onboard to a TA?

Yes

They will usually ask if you want it sent to the one you used on the current cruise  or sometimes they just do  it

If you are shopping TA's  then let the Ambassador know you want it with Oceania  until you decide on a TA

[redraider1966]

2 hours ago, Jim and Monika said:

We always have booked onboard. Our last cruise booked was $250/person deposit, discounted pricing and $300 onboard credit. The extra OBC doesn't seem to be constant. If you get a flyer in your cabin with $300 OBC and you want to book, do it. Later in our cruise it was $100 OBC, not sure if it actually changed overall, or if it went down because we already booked one. It also comes with a 1 time change for free and price match.

While on Insignia just after New Year's this year, they were running a promotion offering $300 OBC for an onboard booking and we booked a cruise.  A few days later, while the time-sensitive promotion was still on, we purchased a Future Cruise Certificate and received the same $300 OBC benefit.  We've since booked a cruise with the FCC and the $300 OBC is included.

 

2 hours ago, Jim and Monika said:

 

 

[marne-c]

Reading the oce_oceaniaclub.pdf document, I don't see anything like a  'price drop guarantee' offer, so if a lower price for my cruise and cabin-category becomes available sometime after I sail, that lower price will be matched with a call to Oceania or my TA

 

Is that not part of the on-board booking deal?

 

 

--Marne

[Harters]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

Yes

They will usually ask if you want it sent to the one you used on the current cruise  or sometimes they just do  it

How does that work then, please?

 

I would have thought that, if I had booked direct with O, then the TA has earned no commission on the sale. What's the benefit for the TA - would O pay them a commission, even though they had done nothing?  And  what's the benefit for the customer - the deal has already been done, so to speak?

 

On the face of it, it doesnt seem to be in anyone's interest.

Edited May 1, 2023 by Harters

[LHT28]

58 minutes ago, Harters said:

How does that work then, please?

 

I would have thought that, if I had booked direct with O, then the TA has earned no commission on the sale. What's the benefit for the TA - would O pay them a commission, even though they had done nothing?  And  what's the benefit for the customer - the deal has already been done, so to speak?

 

On the face of it, it doesnt seem to be in anyone's interest.

Some of us use  a TA we like  & they may  do other things for us  like extra  OBC or if price drops they will work for you  to get the new price

 If you transfer the booking to a TA within the time limit  (30 days) then yes the TA will be paid

 

It is  a personal choice  to trans it  or not

YMMV

[basor]

1 hour ago, Harters said:

How does that work then, please?

 

I would have thought that, if I had booked direct with O, then the TA has earned no commission on the sale. What's the benefit for the TA - would O pay them a commission, even though they had done nothing?  And  what's the benefit for the customer - the deal has already been done, so to speak?

 

On the face of it, it doesnt seem to be in anyone's interest.

If the cruise booking is transferred to a TA then they do earn a commission on the booking since they will handle all of the details of the booking from there on.  Many TA's offer added benefits to a booking such as OBC, pre-paid gratuities, etc so a benefit to the customer.

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, Harters said:

On the face of it, it doesnt seem to be in anyone's interest.

Maybe  no benefit to UK cruisers   if you use a TA  that does not  work for your interests 🤔

[Harters]

Basor - I seem to be having one of my stupid days. Yes, of course, only a deposit has been paid on board so, presumably, the TA would only lose commission on that proportion of the full price. It must suit O to reassign the contract to a TA even though they'd have to pay the commission.

 

Good point, LHT28. The UK cruise specialists, of which Google only found me a handful,  do not appear to generally offer the additional benefits, often mentioned by North Americans, available via their TAs. I'd be interested to read the experiences from other Britons who have booked onboard and transferred to a British TA.

[LHT28]

11 minutes ago, Harters said:

Basor - I seem to be having one of my stupid days. Yes, of course, only a deposit has been paid on board so, presumably, the TA would only lose commission on that proportion of the full price. It must suit O to reassign the contract to a TA even though they'd have to pay the commission.

 

The TA would get commission on the full cruise price  less any non commissionable items of course

[AMHuntFerry]

5 hours ago, marne-c said:

Reading the oce_oceaniaclub.pdf document, I don't see anything like a  'price drop guarantee' offer, so if a lower price for my cruise and cabin-category becomes available sometime after I sail, that lower price will be matched with a call to Oceania or my TA

 

Is that not part of the on-board booking deal?

 

 

--Marne

It was in writing on the Currents inserts we received in September 2022. I keep my hard copies just in case there is ever a question regarding what was promised.

[Woofa]

[di T]

19 hours ago, Harters said:

Basor - I seem to be having one of my stupid days. Yes, of course, only a deposit has been paid on board so, presumably, the TA would only lose commission on that proportion of the full price. It must suit O to reassign the contract to a TA even though they'd have to pay the commission.

 

Good point, LHT28. The UK cruise specialists, of which Google only found me a handful,  do not appear to generally offer the additional benefits, often mentioned by North Americans, available via their TAs. I'd be interested to read the experiences from other Britons who have booked onboard and transferred to a British TA.

Yes I too would be interested in this as we are from the Uk too

[davencl]

When I booked on board in March I could use either the "all three free" deal or the book on board savings discount, not both.  However the OBC credit still applied to either.  I went with the "all three free" savings as that gave me more than the book on board discount.

[tedcatuk]

Just be careful that you take the flyer giving the $300 obc home with you - I needed this to send to the agent at O who was insisting I would lose it if my booking was price matched to the new sale!

In the end the booking was changed to the new price with the $300 intact but I had to keep insisting that she spoke with her manager- It did help that I had a copy of the flyer from my room also quoting best price until sailing date , to send to her!

[azam71209]

I would be very careful about this type of promotion. I booked when I got home and tried to use the $200 OBC from the flyer. It was denied because I am silver level and already get extra OBC. I was told that you can't get more than one OBC.  No amount of complaining from me and my TA has been able to get it. I did get a much better deal- 4 category upgrade-than the onboard rep was able to offer so I guess overall it worked out for me. The real issue appears to be that you can't combine offers.

 

Mary

[ORV]

1 hour ago, azam71209 said:

I would be very careful about this type of promotion. I booked when I got home and tried to use the $200 OBC from the flyer. It was denied because I am silver level and already get extra OBC. I was told that you can't get more than one OBC.  No amount of complaining from me and my TA has been able to get it. I did get a much better deal- 4 category upgrade-than the onboard rep was able to offer so I guess overall it worked out for me. The real issue appears to be that you can't combine offers.

 

Mary

Not sure what is happening, but Club level is completely separate from any promotions, always has been. 

[babysteps]

I admit we take the onboard booking credit for the cruise we are on (not the one we are booking/using FCC to book later). No arguing with Miami that way lol. But having to argue is frustrating!