Advice Please

[no fuss travel]

Oceania's air from Vancouver cannot be beat. I checked airfares on line and also had my TA check to see if she could beat their price but the closest to them was $500 per person more. If we flew from Seattle, we might have been able to save a little but it is not worth the hassle of having to drive down and back home again later.

It is costing us a bit more to stay on extra days at the end in air as we are now traveling on a weekend which is more costly. We had looked into stopping in Frankfurt while on our way home to break up the flight but it was an additional $250 per person to add an extra stop. We are going to put up with the longer flight and a six hour wait in Frankfurt before we can head home. Thankfully both of us can sleep on a plane.

[LHT28]

 

Why is it that they suggest you fly in the day before a cruise but they charge you extra to do so. Why don't they just make that "day before" standard?

I agree

We did an Orient lines cruise & the hotel for 2 nights pre or post cruise was included in the cruise package.

It was so much better to fly in, transfer to the hotel then to the ship 2 days later ...all taken care of by the cruise package.

The cost was not that much more... unlike the hotel package add -ons with Oceania

 

Lyn

[Mura]

Renaissance used to do that, sigh ....

 

On our first cruise with them we were in a "C" cabin (the equivalent of Oceania's "A", a deck 7 veranda) and we had two days in 5 star hotels in Lisbon and Barcelona. When we did Athens-Istanbul with Ren on the brand-new R5 (now Nautica) we were in a "B" (Oceania's PH) and had three days in the hotels.

 

Of course, not charging a reasonable price for hotel + cruise helped do in Renaissance ...

 

By "reasonable", of course, I don't mean what Oceania charges for a hotel package!

 

Mura

[newfiegirl4]

Hondoner,

WOW,what a wealth of info you have!!! Thanks.This is our 1st cruise with "O".I am so excited.

Thanks for you concern on out past weather,yes we were hit quite hard with IGOR.Not bad at all where we live but other parts of our beautiful province certainly were.

As for 2 for 1 with O,it was much a much better deal to take the included Airfare.I know we still pay for it but I think it would also be better in case of bad weather...etc so that you are on their schedule.Since we booked I have been checking on airfare alone just to see the cost from NL to Papeete....It was like minimum of $2500 per person+txs,etc.So, in my opinion it was cheaper to go with the cruise line.We just have to get to TO first(hoping to be there 2 days prior,it's a busy time for students traveling so we don't want any hassle....If you know our weather here, Snow storms can delay us so we want to make sure we are in TO to depart for our Cruise!!!)When the itenerary comes out then we will book on airmiles to get there.Hoping to use the Air Diviation on the way back to stay in LA(if thats were we fly to)for an extra couple of days.We've never been th that part of the country.The TA told me it would be $100 extra,we'll just have to see the flight schedule first.

We're on a waiting list for an inside cabin as they were all sold out!!!

Berm,

You are so right :)

[burm]

Snow storms can delay us so we want to make sure we are in TO to depart for our Cruise

 

 

It must be so nice for people who don't have to allow for snow storms when booking. Sigh. Those extra costs add up and just add to your travel time, not your actual vacation time.

 

Another reason why I like accepting Oceania Air is that I have spoken with so many people who have been given a better offer because the cruiseline (any cruiseline) desperately needed their cabin. It is my dream (like the dream of winning the lottery) that O will phone me one day and say "If you will give up your spot on the 10 Mexican day cruise, we will give you this 16 day cruise of South America (or South Africa, or anything more exotic and expensive) AND throw in a penthouse suite!"

 

If you had booked your air privately you would turn down these offers because you could not cancel and recover your flight cost.

 

Anyway, that is my dream. I have yet to be visited by the Upgrade Fairy. :p

[wripro]

Your dream and a lot of other peoples'.

[Sbecker604]

Just to correct something you wrote earlier...I believe that the air deviation fee of $100 is charged only if you accept the deviation. In other words, they (or you) can propose a different itenerary and you are not charged unless you accept it. Be aware also that you could have to pay a difference in the airfare (if there is one). But you will know in advance what the airfare and deviation charges are before you accept it.

[newfiegirl4]

Just to correct something you wrote earlier...I believe that the air deviation fee of $100 is charged only if you accept the deviation. In other words, they (or you) can propose a different itinerary and you are not charged unless you accept it. Be aware also that you could have to pay a difference in the airfare (if there is one). But you will know in advance what the airfare and deviation charges are before you accept it.

 

 

Hoping to use the Air Deviation on the way back to stay in LA(if that's were we fly to)for an extra couple of days.We've never been to that part of the country.The TA told me it would be $100 extra,we'll just have to see the flight schedule first. No need to correct,I already knew,Thanks just the same :) :)

[LHT28]

Hoping to use the Air Deviation on the way back to stay in LA(if that's were we fly to)for an extra couple of days.We've never been to that part of the country.The TA told me it would be $100 extra,we'll just have to see the flight schedule first. No need to correct,I already knew,Thanks just the same :) :)

I think you can get a deviation for the embarkation or debarkation port cities but not stopovers with cruise air.

 

If your cruise ends in LA you may get the extra days but if it is just a connection then I do not believe the deviation will be allowed ......but I could be wrong.

I am sure someone with experience in this will comment.

 

Lyn