Understanding Air and Deviations

We're looking to try an Oceania cruise, probably in May of 2017. I'm trying to understand how the included air works. We only want to fly Delta (or possibly a sky team partner). We'll also want to spend days in Europe before and after the cruise. So, the standard choice won't work for us.

I understand that we can request a deviation quote, and if we like the choices, pay the fee (per person) for the deviation request along with the possible difference in fare

So, I have two questions

1. When do we know which airfare Oceania would have selected without the deviation? Can we make our request immediately after making deposit since we are within 270 days of the cruise?

2. If we don't accept the deviation offers, can we still request the airfare credit instead of being stuck with the cruise line's choice, even after making deposit?

We use the deviation program for all of our cruises, go into the port city early and leave the disembarkation port a few days late. Have always requested Delta from Seattle to the European destination and so far there have been no additional fees above the $175 deviation charge. List the flight details that you want, dates, flight numbers, departures and arrivals at origin and any pass through airports. Maybe give 2 or 3 choices to your TA to work out the best arrangement.

You can request the deviation up to 270 days out- sometimes Oceania may say that they don't have their contracts confirmed that far out, but they will work with you as soon as the contracts are set. I think that waiting until you see what their normal air would be- usually for arrival the day of sailing and depart the day of disembarkation- is too late for your deviation. You may not get what you want due to seats being taken.

You can most likely get the without air price up to a certain time before the cruise- don't really know about that.

WE have always used O air deviation. We fly in a few days early. What I do is you Ita matrix flight search. Find the flights, and airlines WE want then contact the TA and tell her what we want. She then contacts O and once we agree to the flights we pay the air deviation fee. On our flight out of Miami in December on a Sunday we had to pay an extra $100 per person to get the flight we wanted. But O was able to beat the price I could have booked it for myself. One leg from Atlanta to Rio we were able to upgrade our seats. I found the air credit from O didn't cover the price of booking the air yourself even with the deviation added and the price for flying from a nongateway city.

1. When do we know which airfare Oceania would have selected without the deviation? Can we make our request immediately after making deposit since we are within 270 days of the cruise?

Every single person who ever inquires about the Deviation procedure asks that question. It isn't that simple.

If the passenger opts for Cruise Line Air, but does not Deviate, the Air Routing is not assigned until after final payment on the cruise (typically 90 days out).

You'll need to determine if you should deviate without knowing what the free option would have been.

2. If we don't accept the deviation offers, can we still request the airfare credit instead of being stuck with the cruise line's choice, even after making deposit?

Yes, the Deviation Fee is nonrefundable but does not kick in until such time as a Route is accepted by the Passenger.

Since you want to spend time in Europe before and after the cruise, you will need to take the air allowance or arrange a deviation.

We are going to Italy at the end of October and we took the cash. US cash! We were able to book reasonable flights without any out of pocket cash. But we have deviated - going to Rio, for example. And flying back from Papeete, Tahiti (We took their flight to LAX and then deviated for a non-stop flight home.)

Figure out the cost of the air tickets if you booked them yourself. How does it compare with the air allowance? Compare that to the cost of deviation (two ways for each passenger.)

So you have cost of air tickets minus the air allowance compared to the cost of deviation.

Do a bit of legwork to see what works for you. There are some good fares there.

I have heard that the air allowance can be reduced if you wait too long. Once you get the paperwork done though, it is set.

A bit more information if possible please, as we have never taken the included air. We are considering it this time.

If my understanding is correct, if we take the air, Oceania provides the flight choices and we pick from their (perhaps limited) choices. The risk is we get a milk run, perhaps several connections, perhaps flights with long layovers. We would be using a secondary airport according to Oceania.

If we take and pay for the deviation, we get a choice of flights, but the cost is the deviation fee, plus a higher ticket cost.

If my assumptions are correct, and we want control of our flights by paying the deviation fee, , how would I know in advance what the actual ticket cost would be ?

TIA.

A bit more information if possible please, as we have never taken the included air. We are considering it this time.

 

If my understanding is correct, if we take the air, Oceania provides the flight choices and we pick from their (perhaps limited) choices. The risk is we get a milk run, perhaps several connections, perhaps flights with long layovers. We would be using a secondary airport according to Oceania.

 

If we take and pay for the deviation, we get a choice of flights, but the cost is the deviation fee, plus a higher ticket cost.

 

If my assumptions are correct, and we want control of our flights by paying the deviation fee, , how would I know in advance what the actual ticket cost would be ?

 

TIA.

If you take the cruise air, no deviation, you have no choices and O will provide their choice of flights. And, yes, you might get long layovers or several connections and coming from a secondary airport at least one connection or you might get a good connection and good fights. You won't know until O provides the details around 75 to 90 days out. If you deviate, you do get your choice of flights and connections and you may or may not pay extra, depends and O will tell you. By the way, in any case if not coming from one of the primary airports, you will pay a secondary airport charge for sure and it is possible that plus the deviation is all you pay. Won't know until you provide your choices and O responds. As to your question regarding the actual ticket cost, you may or may not ever know that number. It isn't relevent and the only way you might know is if the price is on your ticket or documents which it often isn't.

If we take and pay for the deviation, we get a choice of flights, but the cost is the deviation fee, plus a higher ticket cost.

 

If my assumptions are correct, and we want control of our flights by paying the deviation fee, , how would I know in advance what the actual ticket cost would be ?

 

TIA.

1)you submit the flights you want or ask Oceania what they will provide 2)they will then tell you if there is any upcharge fee plus the secondary airport fee

3)If you are happy with the flights they offer then you pay the non refundable deviation fee $175 pp

If you do not like the offerings keep asking for other flights

You can start the process about 270 days out from the sailing

also check what it will cost to DIY & find out the amount of the air credit

weigh your options before you decide

sometime O air works out sometimes you can do better on your own

JMO

Thanks for the info.

1)you submit the flights you want or ask Oceania what they will provide 2)they will then tell you if there is any upcharge fee plus the secondary airport fee

3)If you are happy with the flights they offer then you pay the non refundable deviation fee $175 pp

If you do not like the offerings keep asking for other flights

 

You can start the process about 270 days out from the sailing

 

also check what it will cost to DIY & find out the amount of the air credit

weigh your options before you decide

 

sometime O air works out sometimes you can do better on your own

 

JMO

Yes, do ask your travel agent what the air credit would be. When we booked a year ago, we got a good enough air credit in order to buy tickets directly ourselves. (Air credit means they take the money off your invoice so you pay less for your cruise.) It was cheaper because we avoided the deviation fee. But we were going to Europe and good prices were available from YYZ.

It is only when you know the amount can you really plan properly.

I would also consider a International line which does domestic flights over in Europe also. Better service. Remember being over there 2 days after Icelandic volcano. People camped all over airport because no planes. Was on Lufthansa, they pulled in planes from South and off we went taking a Southern route. My cabinmate on O WC got a really convaluted (sp?), route for air to Asia so booked herself, saved $400. I saved $400 using O air, same trip.You can request best prices on Kayak online also.Prices do go up and down of course.

We too are looking to book May 2017 and am so confused by the air deviation. We want to arrive early (willing to pay the deviation for for that) and have a preferred airline. We were wanting to pay for premium economy with United but were told they didn't have a contract for that. Then offered a premium with Lufthansa which wasn't a good fit. We declined. We suggested a preferred United flight with deviation for outbound, and then they returned with our flights but with both deviation fees and an differential fee (never discussed before about this). Just feel like getting bumped here. With Oceania never expected this.

We suggested a preferred United flight with deviation for outbound, and then they returned with our flights but with both deviation fees and an differential fee (never discussed before about this). Just feel like getting bumped here. With Oceania never expected this.

confused

are you saying you did not agree to the flights & they charged you the deviation fee & differential fee?

Are you working with a TA?

We too are looking to book May 2017 and am so confused by the air deviation. We want to arrive early (willing to pay the deviation for for that) and have a preferred airline. We were wanting to pay for premium economy with United but were told they didn't have a contract for that. Then offered a premium with Lufthansa which wasn't a good fit. We declined. We suggested a preferred United flight with deviation for outbound, and then they returned with our flights but with both deviation fees and an differential fee (never discussed before about this). Just feel like getting bumped here. With Oceania never expected this.

The easiest way to understand the process is to think of Oceania as having a base line cost to get the passenger to and from the cruise.

If the flight that the passenger requests costs more than Oceania's base line, then that increase is added to the expense of choosing that route (over and above the Deviation Fee).

The passenger may either agree to pay the additional monies for convenience sake, or, continue to dicker with Oceania in order to find another mutually acceptable (i.e. less costly) route.

Either way, the Deviation Fee does not come into play, UNTIL THERE IS A MEETING OF THE MINDS.

Until a Route is accepted by the passenger, there is always the option of bailing out of Oceania Air and booking independently.