Air Department Question

I have typically just booked my own air in the past, even though we have once used O's air. United (via Air Canada) is currently having a fairly sale on business air for one of our cruises next summer. We are just under 330 days out.

So my question is: If we use Oceania air, we will pay the deviation fee to Oceania anyway, since we will depart and return a couple days early, will O's air give us price quotes on our air options now, or make us wait until the 270 day pre cruise time period? We could easily miss a very attractive sale if we have to wait, but would like to see the options!

Pinotlover,

I told my travel agent that I wanted certain flights for our upcoming cruise.

She checked with the air department and was told once final payment is made, they will confirm flight requests.

We made the final payment early and gave them our flight requests and got an answer the next day. We then had the option of accepting or declining. Since we got the flights we wanted we accepted the flights and paid the deviation fee.

I think you should have your travel agent work for you in this case.

Hope this helps

WE had made our final payment in in June for an upcoming cruise in November. When I contacted O about air deviation they were able to book the flights we wanted at the times we wanted. I did have to have my TA contact them a couple of times so they would go ahead and purchase me tickets so I could upgrade to premium economy on one leg( the longest) wasn't able to upgrade on the shorter legs. The upgrade only cost $99 per person. But both O and my TA wanted me to know that once the tickets were bought they were nonrefundable I don't understand why since that is what I have travel insurance for. We finalized our air mid July.

I have typically just booked my own air in the past, even though we have once used O's air. United (via Air Canada) is currently having a fairly sale on business air for one of our cruises next summer. We are just under 330 days out.

 

So my question is: If we use Oceania air, we will pay the deviation fee to Oceania anyway, since we will depart and return a couple days early, will O's air give us price quotes on our air options now, or make us wait until the 270 day pre cruise time period? We could easily miss a very attractive sale if we have to wait, but would like to see the options!

In my experience, O will not talk about air until the 270 day mark.

In my experience, O will not talk about air until the 270 day mark.

same experience here

I have typically just booked my own air in the past, even though we have once used O's air. United (via Air Canada) is currently having a fairly sale on business air for one of our cruises next summer. We are just under 330 days out.

 

So my question is: If we use Oceania air, we will pay the deviation fee to Oceania anyway, since we will depart and return a couple days early, will O's air give us price quotes on our air options now, or make us wait until the 270 day pre cruise time period? We could easily miss a very attractive sale if we have to wait, but would like to see the options!

I am not sure Oceania will book the Business class at discounted rate

If the price is good & you can live with the prices now I would just book it on your own

JMO

Lyn;

Thanks for the info!

The previous time we used O Air was when we did a later booking and final payment was due at the time of booking. We got the air that we wanted and most everything went smoothly with that booking.

However, for these cruises that we book 15+ months in advance of the sail date, we have been able to find better deals that accepting O's free air. As I stated in the OP, Air Canada is offering a very good deal right now, but there are complications. In fact, a multitude of complications exists with the air for this cruise because of the starting and ending point of the cruise, combined with many of the new policies the airlines have recently employed. I was trying to explain some of those complications to my wife over dinner, and after listening to just a few, she just said " It's your problem, pour me more wine'!

I hope that the sale continues for a few days. I'll have my TA contact O, and see what they want to do. As I said, We are 325 days out from sailing so O might chose to do nothing until 270 days. Or, as mentioned above their bulk rates might be above the sale rates. If the sale continues I may have to sh@@ or get off the pot quickly. If the sale ends before then, we'll just have to see. We went to China this year and AA ran a two day sale on fares. I jumped and saved nearly a grand each on tickets. The ticket price never came within $1K of the price I got for those round trip business tickets again. One never knows, but hind sight is always 20/20!

Lyn;

 

Thanks for the info!

 

The previous time we used O Air was when we did a later booking and final payment was due at the time of booking. We got the air that we wanted and most everything went smoothly with that booking.

 

However, for these cruises that we book 15+ months in advance of the sail date, we have been able to find better deals that accepting O's free air. As I stated in the OP, Air Canada is offering a very good deal right now, but there are complications. In fact, a multitude of complications exists with the air for this cruise because of the starting and ending point of the cruise, combined with many of the new policies the airlines have recently employed. I was trying to explain some of those complications to my wife over dinner, and after listening to just a few, she just said " It's your problem, pour me more wine'!

 

I hope that the sale continues for a few days. I'll have my TA contact O, and see what they want to do. As I said, We are 325 days out from sailing so O might chose to do nothing until 270 days. Or, as mentioned above their bulk rates might be above the sale rates. If the sale continues I may have to sh@@ or get off the pot quickly. If the sale ends before then, we'll just have to see. We went to China this year and AA ran a two day sale on fares. I jumped and saved nearly a grand each on tickets. The ticket price never came within $1K of the price I got for those round trip business tickets again. One never knows, but hind sight is always 20/20!

are they on AC or United fly AC metal ?

I did look at the flights for Europe next June they look good ...says book until Aug 25th not sure in only for R/T flights

hope you get your answer soon

I have typically just booked my own air in the past, even though we have once used O's air. United (via Air Canada) is currently having a fairly sale on business air for one of our cruises next summer. We are just under 330 days out.

 

So my question is: If we use Oceania air, we will pay the deviation fee to Oceania anyway, since we will depart and return a couple days early, will O's air give us price quotes on our air options now, or make us wait until the 270 day pre cruise time period? We could easily miss a very attractive sale if we have to wait, but would like to see the options!

You will get a price that is good, you wont have to pay deviation , You can pick your flights You wont have to pay way extra for an up-grade to business, And you get a refund form O for the air credit... A win win and most important you are in total control... get miles for the flight plus get miles for charging it on a UAL card.... another win.

Wait another month and your not going to get the sale fares on UAL... I would not delay a second... this is a window of opportunity that is going to close fast

I got 300 days out a UAL deal Business to Frankfurt for 57,500 miles rather than 150,000.... I took it so fast it was not even funny...... it only lasted 4 days... and was gone. Here is another consideration if you have UAL miles... 30 days from the flight date many times things open up at the last min.... I have seen last week for sept 4 6 7 8 9 UAL offering 70,000 mile tickets on Lufthansa to FRA... That lasted exactly 3 days..... but look anyway

Dont sweat the rules if they change for AC because the rules in place when you bought the tickets will be the ones you adhere to..... New rules will not affect you once you have the paid reservation.... Enjoy, maybe some time you can teach me about Cabernet.... more than that Joe Heitz I used to visit with back in the 60's..but what did he know....I did get from his Library several Magnums of 74 Martha's.... That Joe did for some of us local boys......

I was trying to explain some of those complications to my wife over dinner, and after listening to just a few, she just said " It's your problem, pour me more wine'!!

I like your wife's attitude![emoji106]

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Dan;

I'll try to get info, via my TA, from O tomorrow. If they don't respond. I'll probably pull the plug and do the deal myself with either UAL, direct or with Air Canada since it is all their metal. Rather do it with UAL, but they won't let me pick seats, yada, yada!

As far as Heitz:

1. Old Joe died;

2. Martha had to rip out her entire vineyard the end of last decade because of phlox;

3. It appears that early Martha's Vineyard, 3rd- 6th growth, is (as one would expect) not producing near the quality of fruit that the previous old vines were;

4. Not sure she is even selling to Joe's sons anymore. Long story of egos.

I think the last Heitz Martha's Vineyard was a 2007, or at least the last one of any acclaim. That one scored a 94 Wine Spectator.

Dan;

 

I'll try to get info, via my TA, from O tomorrow. If they don't respond. I'll probably pull the plug and do the deal myself with either UAL, direct or with Air Canada since it is all their metal. Rather do it with UAL, but they won't let me pick seats, yada, yada!

 

As far as Heitz:

 

1. Old Joe died;

2. Martha had to rip out her entire vineyard the end of last decade because of phlox;

3. It appears that early Martha's Vineyard, 3rd- 6th growth, is (as one would expect) not producing near the quality of fruit that the previous old vines were;

 

4. Not sure she is even selling to Joe's sons anymore. Long story of egos.

 

I think the last Heitz Martha's Vineyard was a 2007, or at least the last one of any acclaim. That one scored a 94 Wine Spectator.

If you book via UAL for AC I know the problem same as any non UAL flight.... Can you get a flight on UAL since the AC price should be the same. In any case price for a lie flat business in a 2-2-2 to europe isnt bad in any seat... In fact the new UAL business first seats are just fine for a good sleep... First except on ANA, is not needed

Intresting on Marthas I left the valley in 1998 and sold 1 of my Maga of Marthas for over 3K... Drank the other. I know about Joe....He was a pretty neat guy knew in starting in 61 when he started.... memories

I currently follow Le Evangeline FR and Schafer and Newton...USA Newton, Duckhorn all got bought by some Australian co or so I heard.. The valley m no the region is all under a big corporate vale.. It aint the same place I knew. Used to Love inglenook cask line back in the 60's pre Hubline and pre Coppola.... but the old building still reeks class.

Oceania solved the puzzle today. They very firmly said that they are not running a business class promotion, only PE promotion, for that cruise. They do not consider any airline fare sales in their pricing. The cost of a business class ticket would therefore be X, which is about 50% hgher than the current fare sale from the airlines on the internet. In fact, their price was higher than several airlines regular prices that aren't running any specials! :eek: So by using them I would be paying a deviation fee ($175) plus a 50% premium. O did encourage me to have my TA change the booking to the non air option, take the credit, and get the lower air prices.

see post #6 :rolleyes:

Lyn;

Your earlier advise was spot on! :D

Shouldn't have even wasted my or my TA's time, just ask Lyn! ;)

Lyn;

 

Your earlier advise was spot on! :D

 

Shouldn't have even wasted my or my TA's time, just ask Lyn! ;)

not just another pretty face :D

:D

I am not sure Oceania will book the Business class at discounted rate

If the price is good & you can live with the prices now I would just book it on your own

 

JMO

On a few occasions -- maybe two or three, possibly four but no more than that -- we asked our TA to quote business fare on a deviation. It was always more than booking on our own.

Very VERY occasionally they have quoted a special business fare which is economy when flying over land; we took this ONCE from LHR to NYC because that one time it was indeed less than it would have cost us to book on our own.

Mura