cruise transfers and hotels

Next August we are cruising Splendid Scandinavia, Copenhagen to London. The agent says that if we take Oceania's hotels it will include all land transfers as well as airline upgrades, ie. $99 upgrade as well as $175 air customization. Has anyone done this tour that can tell me if this is true? Or are we better to book hotels and transfers on our own? We are celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary, our daughter & son-in-law their 25th, so want to get it right! Thanks!

Welcome to CC.

Your TA is mixing things up a bit. There are several separate issues here being put int the same bag.

It is true that if you purchase pre/post cruise hotels from Oceania, your transfers will be included. However, what your TA is not telling you is that you will be paying MUCH more than you need to with Oceania as opposed to if you were to arrange for these yourself.

For hotels, Oceania charges per person - if you book the hotel yourself, it is per room - or about half the price.

The transfers are notoriously overpriced. In your case you can just pay for 1 car/van for 4 people for your transfers and save a lot of money.

The Premium Economy is $99 extra but it does NOT cover deviation fees which are separate.

You should investigate how much Oceania wants to charge you for your hotel (total) vs what you could do on your own for the same hotel. Ditto for transfers

Welcome to CC.

 

Your TA is mixing things up a bit. There are several separate issues here being put int the same bag.

 

 

For hotels, Oceania charges per person - if you book the hotel yourself, it is per room - or about half the price.

 

The transfers are notoriously overpriced. In your case you can just pay for 1 car/van for 4 people for your transfers and save a lot of money.

 

 

You should investigate how much Oceania wants to charge you for your hotel (total) vs what you could do on your own for the same hotel. Ditto for transfers

Exactly. And this applies to any cruise tour packages on any line.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Listen to Paul.

It is true that if you book one night with Oceania's hotel, you will get free transfers. (Not having done this myself I'm not sure if it's just one transfer -- say airport to hotel -- or both.) But even so, if you look into booking the hotel yourself I think you will find that even paying for your own transfers and the regular hotel rate will bring you out ahead. Especially since as a group of four you should be able to get a van rather than a regular cab.

If you want to spend more time in the beginning and ending ports, then you'd want the deviation if you are using O's air. We used to get much better fare reductions for doing our own air ...nowadays it's possible for it to be worth using O's air with or without a deviation. BUT ... if you want business or first air, you're better off doing your own. We've used the PE $99 add-on which was cost effective, but it's not the same as true business!

When we were in London post-cruise in June 2014 we stayed at a 4 star Marriott in Westminster that O was using for its post-cruise people. Our group booked the hotel on our own with Marriott points. We met a couple who were high level Marriott members but hadn't realized that this particular hotel was a Marriott -- it wasn't in the hotel name. They were sick when they realized that they'd paid more than twice as much as necessary.

Mura

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Value also comes from convenience and peace of mind. For a 50th wedding anniversary you may prefer to 'leave the driving to us' and purchase a pre-cruise package.

I absolutely agree that the price of that hotel will be about double. (Oh, that's kinda like their 2 for 1 promo but in reverse :))

You mentioned the customize air. If you were considering requesting the deviation to arrive the day before, stay ONE night at a upper scale hotel then the hotel package is not so outrageously overpriced because O will not charge you for that one night deviation to the air schedule.

Say the hotel is normally $450 per night for the room. O might sell this for $425 per person per night but it includes transfers and there is no charge for the (one day) deviation. So O will charge you $425x2=$950 in total for the one night at the hotel, transfers and the one night deviation OR you could pay $350 for the deviations, plus taxi /shuttle say 2X$50, plus $450 for the one night hotel and it would come to $900. And there is the value in that you did not have to deal with any of this. Of course you could always pick a cheaper hotel, book a shuttle service and save some money.

The cost comparison falls apart if you want to stay a second night as that would be an additional $900 or if you wanted a deviation other than just the day before because then you would lose transfers.

I'm only adding this complexity to it because I think that there are times when it might not be a slam dunk to not take a cruise lines post/pre-cruise hotel offerings. Even the mainstream lines offer that first night hotel at a significant premium. But just like there might be times when taking a ships excursion versus arranging a private tour and can make sense even to 'independent' travellers.

YoHoHo,

You make some good and valid points and a nice breakdown of costs.

I guess it would come down to actual numbers to see if it would make sense and even if it's a little more, it may be worth the convenience for some.

It never works for me - but that's another story :D

Value also comes from convenience and peace of mind. For a 50th wedding anniversary you may prefer to 'leave the driving to us' and purchase a pre-cruise package.

 

I absolutely agree that the price of that hotel will be about double. (Oh, that's kinda like their 2 for 1 promo but in reverse :))

 

You mentioned the customize air. If you were considering requesting the deviation to arrive the day before, stay ONE night at a upper scale hotel then the hotel package is not so outrageously overpriced because O will not charge you for that one night deviation to the air schedule.

 

Say the hotel is normally $450 per night for the room. O might sell this for $425 per person per night but it includes transfers and there is no charge for the (one day) deviation. So O will charge you $425x2=$950 in total for the one night at the hotel, transfers and the one night deviation OR you could pay $350 for the deviations, plus taxi /shuttle say 2X$50, plus $450 for the one night hotel and it would come to $900. And there is the value in that you did not have to deal with any of this. Of course you could always pick a cheaper hotel, book a shuttle service and save some money.

 

The cost comparison falls apart if you want to stay a second night as that would be an additional $900 or if you wanted a deviation other than just the day before because then you would lose transfers.

 

I'm only adding this complexity to it because I think that there are times when it might not be a slam dunk to not take a cruise lines post/pre-cruise hotel offerings. Even the mainstream lines offer that first night hotel at a significant premium. But just like there might be times when taking a ships excursion versus arranging a private tour and can make sense even to 'independent' travellers.

You can pick you rown flight take the air credit and many times get a better deal or not... but the transfer/ hotel is best done by you

you can then read trip advisor and pick a killer hotel.

The hotel can arrange pick up service in a limo if you want and transfer to the ship... Most all 4- 5 star hotels might even offer free transfer for guests.. Its quite easy to arrange by contacting the hotel of choice...

O's prices will be easily double what you can arrange yourselves

For the savings you could look at business class or up grade economy seats and come in several days prior to really enjoy.... and YOU are in control not O

you can then read trip advisor and pick a killer hotel.

Other side...

No need. O has one picked. Not everyone wants to spend time slogging through tripadvisor. My 'grain of salt' detector grows weary.

The hotel can arrange pick up service in a limo if you want and transfer to the ship... Most all 4- 5 star hotels might even offer free transfer for guests.. Its quite easy to arrange by contacting the hotel of choice...

No need. O has these arranged already.

O's prices will be easily double what you can arrange yourselves

Not if you stay the one night and pay no deviation. The $350 for deviation helps to pay for that overpriced room. For the pricing must be considering there is reasonable air credit and flights can be purchased at a good price. See math in my post

You can pick you rown flight take the air credit and many times get a better deal or not

In the olden days I would agree but the shrinking air credits (hey, if they continue to shrink soon they will really be 'free' just like O promotes! [falls into the 'be careful what you wish for category').

Recent cruise booked six months in advance = $300 air credit. Another one to Europe = $800 air credit. Not living in New York city (I do envy you for the many flights to Europe) I certainly can't fly for that cost. If I were to add in the deviation the price would get closer but for this exercise the deviation fee is included in the cost of O's hotel.

In any event, we could debate this in detail but that really is not the point of my post. I was merely pointing out that one size doesn't fit all and there are times when even the overpriced pre-and post cruise hotels supplied by cruise lines, not just O, can be justified. One can most often find a cheaper way of doing something but at some point it becomes an exercise for aficionados and those who cruise a great deal. Some people truly do have more money than time, or interest and so these packages fit. And for some it affords some comfort. When like the OP I have my 50th anniversary, I intend on a great start to a cruise without slogging through the Internet. (I'll be be in my mid 90's at that point so probably will want my TA to book that pre-cruise hotel for me.) YMWV

In the olden days I would agree but the shrinking air credits (hey, if they continue to shrink soon they will really be 'free' just like O promotes! [falls into the 'be careful what you wish for category'). Agree with be careful what you wish for but, they will NEVER be free, they will always be included and you will pay for them in your fare. Only difference is that if you want to use FF miles or can get a great air fare yourself, you won't get any credit for what you paid.

we got $1,000 Canadian off for not taking the flights. That with the Deviation fee and I don't think we'll be too far apart. My London flight in May was $842 and KLM has had some wicked sales to Amsterdam, my embarkation port. It's a long way away but I'm ok with $1,000 pp

you have to weigh all the options for your situation

sometimes the hotel package from O works sometimes it does not

do the math before you commit

Lyn

Deviation fee ????

Deviation fee ????

A fee charged by Oceania to book air flights if you are not flying in on the day of embarkation & out on day of disembarkation

Thank you, they never told us that when we booked.

Thank you, they never told us that when we booked.

Did you tell your TA you want to fly into the embarkation port a day or more before the cruise or stay after the cruise in the city where you disembark??

Are you using the included air from Oceania ?

Are you taking the hotel package offered by Oceania?

If so they do not charge the deviation fee if you do the hotel package deal

We have never used Oceania transfers. Do they place you in a large bus? If arriving at an airport do you have to wait around for other flights to arrive?

We have never used Oceania transfers. Do they place you in a large bus? If arriving at an airport do you have to wait around for other flights to arrive?

Our only experience with O transfers was back in 2004 but guessing it is pretty much the same

We did the hotel package with them

When we arrived at LHR we were put in a mini van with another couple they arrived at a different terminal so had to wait the van to come

we were going to different hotels but we were dropped off first

Transfer to the port of Dover was on a big bus

transfer to LHR from Dover was a big bus

Most cruise line we have taken the transfer it was on a big bus & yes you have to wait for it to fill up before they set off

We now take a taxi usually cheaper & more convenient

We have never used Oceania transfers. Do they place you in a large bus? If arriving at an airport do you have to wait around for other flights to arrive?

We've used their transfers, for various reasons, on six cruises.

If you travel on Embarkation/Disembarkation days, then it will be a bus.

If you're deviating, it will usually be a taxi, and because taxis are smaller overseas, it is normally a private taxi. .

Thank you, they never told us that when we booked.

I see you are from UK. It may be different for you. Check with your travel agent.

We asked for refund of flights to port as we wanted to travel in previous day. The money they gave us back covered our flights and hotel and transfers. Gave us peace of mind getting there day before and we had an extra day in sun! We took their flights coming home as nothing better available.

We have found the opposite of what many people have stated here regarding price. We live in Canada, and therefore, our dollar against the Euro sucks!

We have found booking the hotel via the cruiseline is the same as our booking it via an online booking tool, once we take into account the conversation. So my advice is to do your homework.

Sabrina

We have found the opposite of what many people have stated here regarding price. We live in Canada, and therefore, our dollar against the Euro sucks!

 

We have found booking the hotel via the cruiseline is the same as our booking it via an online booking tool, once we take into account the conversation. So my advice is to do your homework.

 

Sabrina

Would you mind posting specifics please (which hotel, price of hotel vs cruise line price).

TIA

We have found the opposite of what many people have stated here regarding price. We live in Canada, and therefore, our dollar against the Euro sucks!

 

We have found booking the hotel via the cruiseline is the same as our booking it via an online booking tool, once we take into account the conversation. So my advice is to do your homework.

 

Sabrina

While this might be true if you are able to pay for the tours in Canadian dollars, it most likely not be true if charged in US dollars since you would be paying the extremely high US prices plus having to pay the exchange rate Canadian to US dollars. It also seems unlikely even if you could pay in Canadian dollars as since the cruise line normally charges per person and not per room plus there are discounts available to many people that further reduce the per room rate. Without specific examples as Paulichili requested and with quite a bit of knowledge of hotel prices and cruise ship hotel prices, the chances of it being less expensive thru the cruise line seem to be minimal.

We have found the opposite of what many people have stated here regarding price. We live in Canada, and therefore, our dollar against the Euro sucks!

 

We have found booking the hotel via the cruiseline is the same as our booking it via an online booking tool, once we take into account the conversation. So my advice is to do your homework.

 

Sabrina

Can you give us an example? Cdn dollar is great against the Euro right now.

We have found the opposite of what many people have stated here regarding price. We live in Canada, and therefore, our dollar against the Euro sucks!

 

We have found booking the hotel via the cruiseline is the same as our booking it via an online booking tool, once we take into account the conversation. So my advice is to do your homework.

 

Sabrina

By the way, just reread your post and for the most part you are much better off booking directly with the hotel or hotel chain than with an online booking tool. Of course there are a few exceptions but, for the most part booking direct gives you the option to put in discount codes such as Senior, AAA, AARP, Government, Corporate, etc. This option is not usually available with on line booking. In addition, in many times internet is only free when booking direct, many hotels now will match on line prices and perhaps give an additional 10% off. Also, if any issues much better to book direct so you can talk direct to the hotel rather than have to go thru a booking company as a middle man. Do use on line booking go get an idea of what hotels are available and approx. rates but, then choose the hotels I want and go to the hotel direct site, usually get a better rate, chance for upgrade, internet frequent renter points, etc. Use the onlince service to start but, then see how much better in most cases booking direct with the hotel is. Don't forget, some of those great rates you see on the sites require payment in advance and no refund while in most cases I can beat those prices with no charge cancellation up to the day of arrival or so.