Oceania Flight Arrangements

[auntybevy]

We are thinking of going on the Baltic Treasures cruise August 1st. We will be flying to Stockholm and home from Copenhagen. Flights are arranged by Oceania. My question is if we do not take a pre or post hotel (extremely expensive) will we have time to tour these ports on arrival and before we fly home. Any info would be most helpful. Thanks

[rallydave]

We are thinking of going on the Baltic Treasures cruise August 1st. We will be flying to Stockholm and home from Copenhagen. Flights are arranged by Oceania. My question is if we do not take a pre or post hotel (extremely expensive) will we have time to tour these ports on arrival and before we fly home. Any info would be most helpful. Thanks

 

The quick answer is no for both cities. Upon arrival after flying all nite, you will most probably be taken directly to the ship from the Stockholm airport and you will be tired and really not enough time to go from the port to any sightseeing area. Upon arrival in Copenhagen, Oceania will most likely take you directly to the airport. Only if you have an extremely late flight which is unlikely to Canada will you might get to use a day room and see some sights.

 

For what you are paying and what it would cost you to go back, highly suggest you pay for a deviation and spend at least one or two nites in each of the ports. Yes, they are expensive but, well worth it and really a relatively small add-on to the total cost of your vacation.

[potterhill]

Most likely not unless the ship stays in port overnight at the beginning or end.

 

We always take a deviation and fly in early so we are sure to be there with luggage in hand for departure. Also we are more rested. On our first cruise we flew in and went straight to the ship. I basically missed the first day of the cruise as I rarely sleep on the plane to Europe.

 

We book our own hotels at a considerable savings, even for the same ones the cruiseline uses.

 

For our upcoming cruise in two weeks we are flying to London on the evening of the 15th. staying in London two nights-so excited as our daughter who works in DRC is meeting us there- then we go to Dover for embarkation on the 18th. Arrive Copenhagen on July 2 and fly home on July 5, giving us 3 days there.

 

The flight deviation costs $125 pp and there may be an upcharge, but we have always managed to get acceptable flights at no extra charge. There are many threads here you can search for more info re devaition flights.

 

Good luck and have a great cruise!

 

Mo

[Mura]

What Mo said. We usually do our own air, but if we use Oceania's air then we get a deviation. We always plan on at least two days in the beginning and end cities. If it's a city we've visited often, two days may be enough. If it's a city that is new to us, we'd probably spend several more days.

 

We were sitting in the lobby of the Churchill Hotel in Dover back in 2001 -- these were Renaissance days. As we were finishing up breakfast the people who'd used Ren's air came staggering into the lobby waiting to board the ship. I have never seen such a shell shocked crew in my life. There's no way any of them could have spent time seeing Dover!

 

Mura

[Paulchili]

I would agree with what was said above.

You can take O flights but not their pre/post hotel packages - those (or other hotels) you can book on your own at a fraction of a cost.

Both of those cities are beautiful and deserve 2 days minimum, just to scratch the surface, IMO

[sitraveler]

Oceania's included flights arrive the day the cruise begins and return the day the cruise ends. The modest cost of the deviation is not significant, but the hotel choice of Oceania's extensions is. Far more economical to choose your own hotels. Both cities are worthwhile to spend lots of time there. Many of us have spent months planning the extra time in these ports.

[auntybevy]

Thank you for all your replies. As this will be our first Oceania cruise, we will definitely pay for the air deviation and stay extra days in both ports.

[Tansy Mews]

Thank you for all your replies. As this will be our first Oceania cruise, we will definitely pay for the air deviation and stay extra days in both ports.

 

Be sure to tell your travel agent that you want air deviation. Might be harder after you are assigned flights. BTW we got money for our freebie hotel stay.

[JimandStan]

Thank you for all your replies. As this will be our first Oceania cruise, we will definitely pay for the air deviation and stay extra days in both ports.

 

To be clear, there are several factors at work here:

 

1) The Deviation Fee covers changing the dates that one flies only, however, paying that fee also gives the passenger the option of personally selecting the flights that Oceania books them on for those revised dates.

 

2) If the cost of the new flights exceeds the amount that Oceania would otherwise have paid to get the client to and from the ship, those extra costs may be passed on to the passenger. If the prices are the same, no additional fee will be assessed.

 

3) Hotel and transfer packages are far less expensive if booked independently, yet for some people the stability, structure and organization which Oceania lends to their offerings provides a peace of mind which can be priceless.

Don't let the price police bully you. Cheaper is not always the best solution.

Do what is best for YOU.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Don't let the price police bully you. Cheaper is not always the best solution.

Do what is best for YOU.

 

The OP already said that the cruiseline pre-cruise hotels were too expensive. Don't think there's any bulllying going on here.