RickeyCruz5 Posted October 17, 2010 #26 Share Posted October 17, 2010 When I book a deviation, my TA asks O for the flights they provide at no extra costs (other than the deviation fee)If I am not happy with those I ask for them to check the flights I want and see if there is an upcharge. Then I decide On the next cruise we got YYZ to SFO NONSTOP & MIA to SFO NONSTOP on Air Canada Great flights Lyn Lyn, this is what they call requesting "best available" flights. This seems to work well for many people who want to arrive and/or depart on dates other than the dates of embarkation and/or disembarkation. RickeyCruz5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted October 17, 2010 #27 Share Posted October 17, 2010 Lyn, this is what they call requesting "best available" flights. This seems to work well for many people who want to arrive and/or depart on dates other than the dates of embarkation and/or disembarkation. RickeyCruz5 Worked for us this time ...other times we just take the credit Sometimes you win sometimes not ;) Lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruseKrazy Posted October 17, 2010 #28 Share Posted October 17, 2010 We like to go early and/or stay over at an embarkation/debarkation port. To qualify for Os air fair deal, our TA says the maximum stay over is 30 days prior to or after a cruise. Can anyone confirm this? What happens on day 31? Walk/swim home I guess... ;) Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted October 17, 2010 #29 Share Posted October 17, 2010 We like to go early and/or stay over at an embarkation/debarkation port. To qualify for Os air fair deal, our TA says the maximum stay over is 30 days prior to or after a cruise. Can anyone confirm this? What happens on day 31? Walk/swim home I guess... ;) Dave I had read someplace here that they will only book up to 2 wks pre or post cruise I am sure Rickycruz will know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickeyCruz5 Posted October 17, 2010 #30 Share Posted October 17, 2010 I had read someplace here that they will only book up to 2 wks pre or post cruiseI am sure Rickycruz will know I believe it is 30 days but I will have to double check to confirm that for you. I can't remember everything! :D RickeyCruz5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyPet Posted October 17, 2010 Author #31 Share Posted October 17, 2010 I might be interested in the upgrade to business class depending upon the cost. Can you get that option no matter what cabin class you are in or is it only available for the concierge and above cabin levels? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted October 17, 2010 #32 Share Posted October 17, 2010 Normally, upgrades to Business on Oceania are quite expensive as they offer no deals like Regent or Silversea or Crystal. If you want to fly business I'd have your TA check into fares he can get you (possibly a Z fare) and take the air credit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raffeer Posted October 17, 2010 #33 Share Posted October 17, 2010 Actually in our case, one-way tickets to Barcelona, business class, were roughly the same cost with O's add-on of $2000pp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoHoHo Posted October 18, 2010 #34 Share Posted October 18, 2010 How far in advance of your cruise can you start working with the air deviation dept to request the flights you want? Do you have to wait until final payment is made or can you work with them after your deposit is made???Also if you booked with a travel agent do you have to route the requests through your agent or will Oceania work with you directly? While I appreciate the services of a travel agent I do find that having to call them with my request especially when there will probably be some back and forth discussion and then have them talk to OCeania and then call me back to be a PITA. I would rather talk to Oceania directly. There is a certian number of days before the cruise that you can start the deviation request but I don't recall what it is - it is a lot like say 200 or so days. For our most immediate cruise we have had our deviation request finalized for a long time now though our final payment is not until the end of next week. Start early and enjoy the process. Booking air from here to there and back has so many variables, likes and dislikes that it can be complicated. We have booked O's air with deviation three times and three times happy. Bear in mind that the airlines constantly changing policies in attempts to extract a few more dollars can play a part in your booking that the cruise line has no control (i.e. unable to book a seat in advance, no FF miles, etc.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted October 18, 2010 #35 Share Posted October 18, 2010 I might be interested in the upgrade to business class depending upon the cost. Can you get that option no matter what cabin class you are in or is it only available for the concierge and above cabin levels? It is available to all willing to pay the price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickeyCruz5 Posted October 18, 2010 #36 Share Posted October 18, 2010 I had read someplace here that they will only book up to 2 wks pre or post cruiseI am sure Rickycruz will know Verified this morning: Air deviation requests must be for flights within 30 days pre or post cruise. RickeyCruz5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted October 18, 2010 #37 Share Posted October 18, 2010 Verified this morning: Air deviation requests must be for flights within 30 days pre or post cruise. RickeyCruz5 Does that mean you can go early like 30 days before sailing? I think that was the question To qualify for Os air fair deal, our TA says the maximum stay over is 30 days prior to or after a cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted October 18, 2010 #38 Share Posted October 18, 2010 There is a certian number of days before the cruise that you can start the deviation request but I don't recall what it is - it is a lot like say 200 or so days. 270 days & if they have all the contracts in place ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickeyCruz5 Posted October 18, 2010 #39 Share Posted October 18, 2010 Does that mean you can go early like 30 days before sailing? I think that was the question Yes, you could go 30 days before sailing but not 31 days. RickeyCruz5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShopperfiendTO Posted October 18, 2010 #40 Share Posted October 18, 2010 Also if you booked with a travel agent do you have to route the requests through your agent or will Oceania work with you directly? While I appreciate the services of a travel agent I do find that having to call them with my request especially when there will probably be some back and forth discussion and then have them talk to OCeania and then call me back to be a PITA. I would rather talk to Oceania directly. Can anyone answer this question? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted October 18, 2010 #41 Share Posted October 18, 2010 Can anyone answer this question? You have to deal through your TA I believe I have always just asked my TA for what I want then she will deal with O Lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billie5 Posted October 20, 2010 #42 Share Posted October 20, 2010 This is a very useful thread. IMO all the right questions have been asked. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinkerbella Posted October 21, 2010 #43 Share Posted October 21, 2010 I've got another question for all you previous Oceania CC's. I plan on using Oceania's air with a deviation so that I will arrive a few days early to my departure destination. If I am offered an upgrade to a better cabin on a different itinerary will I loose that deviation fee or can I roll it over to the next cruise? Also with the air deviation can you get pre assigned seats on the plane? Thanks in advance for the answers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted October 21, 2010 #44 Share Posted October 21, 2010 Also with the air deviation can you get pre assigned seats on the plane? Thanks in advance for the answers. It may depend on the airline O had assigned us seats for our Feb cruise (middle & aisle) I called the airline directly to get one of us window seats (was only successful on the out bound flight) I would ask your TA about how the fee would work if you accept a move over offer should one be offered. Lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burm Posted October 21, 2010 #45 Share Posted October 21, 2010 PS:I never seem to see O using Air Canada, does that mean I should try to steer away from them as I would be less likely to get a good deviation differential with Air Canada? They seem to use Lufthansa a lot from Canada to Europe in my opinion... O booked me on Air Canada from Toronto to Miami. I asked for a specific flight and they replied "of course!" I did not get an amazing deal but a very good one and I had the peace of mind of having my travel plans in place 270 days in advance. No extra cost. Now for our 2012 TA, I got a fabulous deal from Oceania air and can't wait to see what flights I get by paying the air deviation. They saved me thousands! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJH123 Posted January 9, 2011 #46 Share Posted January 9, 2011 For all that have used Oceania Air Deviation, please advise about seat assignments. Were they made at the time of booking or were you allowed to make them yourself prior to departure? Regarding location, were they only in the mid section (4-5 seats across) of the aircraft? We would appreciate any information you might share to help us in making this decision. Thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare PaulMCO Posted January 9, 2011 #47 Share Posted January 9, 2011 Seats were assigned in advance. If you have your booking code/record locator (which your TA gets) when doing the air deviation and the reservation is made - you can go on-line and change your seats (at least on AA and DL which I have done). Oceania gives your TA an Air Deviation proposal form, showing the reservation and the booking code. They place the reservation on hold and you have typically 24 hours to accept. You can also call the airline also once you get the booking code/record locator. Unfortunately Oceania will only ticket around 30 days before departure. For my next cruise departing 12 Jan - Oceania ticketed on 15 December. This means if your are using FF miles to upgrade or a Upgrade Certificate the best you can hope for is a wait list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
World20 Posted January 9, 2011 #48 Share Posted January 9, 2011 I have been told that O business class upgrades, in addition to being expensive, only upgrade your over the water segment. If you book with FF miles (upgrade or business class ticket), you usually get first class on the 'domestic' USA seqments for the same number of miles. For a west coast flight to the east coast, then over-the-water, this is a big deal. Airlines start opening up fares 330 days in advance, O 270 days. Not being ticketed until 30 days out is really bad if you are planning to upgrade with FF miles (as mentioned above, this will be very hard if even possible to accomplish). Side note, see sites like seatguru.com give you airline seat maps by airline by type of plane and show the best and worst seats in each cabin. I really wish O would offer lower priced business class upgrades. We just bought one way busniess to Europe (coach with FF upgrade). Even purchasing half the needed miles, this was less than consolidator business class avaialble. The consolidator business class was still half the estimated cost of O business upgrades (We're between the 330-270 day window). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted January 9, 2011 #49 Share Posted January 9, 2011 For all that have used Oceania Air Deviation, please advise about seat assignments. Were they made at the time of booking or were you allowed to make them yourself prior to departure? Regarding location, were they only in the mid section (4-5 seats across) of the aircraft? We would appreciate any information you might share to help us in making this decision. Thanks in advance! Once you get your booking number just call the airline & change them to something you want we had been assigned aisle & middle on Air Canada ...I changed to a window seat Lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoHoHo Posted January 9, 2011 #50 Share Posted January 9, 2011 For all that have used Oceania Air Deviation, please advise about seat assignments. Were they made at the time of booking or were you allowed to make them yourself prior to departure? Regarding location, were they only in the mid section (4-5 seats across) of the aircraft? We would appreciate any information you might share to help us in making this decision. Thanks in advance! I assume the flights O purchases are `lowest cost`type so have restrictions placed by the airlines. > Were they made at the time of booking We always use O deviation service so flight plans are offered and accepted or rejected. Seats selection has not been part of that discussion. Upon acceptance of the flight arrangements I have not immediately checked to find out what seats I have been assigned so cannot answer that. > or were you allowed to make them yourself prior to departure? Yes and no; it was airline dependant. Lufthansa did allow us to select our seats but A/C does not based on the type of ticket and that WE did not make the booking with the airline but others did. Our T/A helped with that. I`ve seen elsewhere on CC posts regarding being unable to select seats on other lines. > Regarding location, were they only in the mid section (4-5 seats across) of the aircraft? No, we`ve been assigned centre, aisle and window. Three times we have used O deviation service and three times happy. There are lots of reasons to book your own flights including being able to select seats and perhaps better flight times depending where you are flying to/from. The main reason we use O`s flights is they have been less expensive than on our own especially for what are in effect one way flights for Transatlantic cruises. With help from some great people on CC Cruise Air board we learned how we can make one way flights to Europe inexpensively but it does take more planning and changing planes. O found us great flight times and as direct as possible so in the end we are going with O`s air. For non-transatlantic trips we were all set to book our own air in order to have more control but with the reduced credit for air we went with the cheaper solution. We`ve always used Oceania`s deviation service in order to arrive a few days before embarkation both for touring and the comfort knowing we will not miss the the sailing. If you do request a deviation (I recommend it) you have 48 hours (I think) to accept or it expires. Use that time to check with the airline to find out if they have seat selection restrictions. That might be hard to do because you will not have an actual booking yet but you may be able to learn if certain class of fares do not have this `privilege` Enjoy the planning! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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