digby Posted August 18, 2005 #1 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Yesterday we booked another Oceania cruise for 10/06 from Venice to Barcelona. We were told there would be an additional $139. per person fuel surcharge. Anyone else hit with this charge recently? So far this charge has not been mentioned for our 3/06 Nautica Asian Cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Druke I Posted August 18, 2005 #2 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Digby We are on Oceania's Regatta 8-31-05, and the final billing statement had an "Air Taxes, Fuel Surcharges and Ticketing Fee" of $164.00 PP listed. There was no breakdown of this - so don't know how it was split up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruin Steve Posted August 18, 2005 #3 Share Posted August 18, 2005 You know, I didn't give it a second thought at the time...But I just rechecked my booking confirmation... ...and there's a line item that reads: Other Charges: Gvt fees,Taxes, Security and Handling $266 per person $532.00 Air Taxes, Fuel Surcharges and Ticketing Fee $274 per person $548.00 Seems almost a little sneaky, doesn't it? I usually just think "It is what it is"...My TA gives me the "total price" and I say okay... I was actually a little nonplussed at first when I received the total... According to the Oceania website, my cruise was $3599 per guest (with the alleged "free" air...Of course, somehow, my TA was able to give me alternate prices both with and without air...For "free" air, they actuall attach a price of $1,090 plus taxes per person! But that's okay. I understand nothing is ever REALLY free). But, when the total price from Oceania was quoted, the $7198 (for two, $3599x2) turned into $8584... First I noticed the $104 per person for transfers (Other lines have always included this when you do the cruise and air through the cruise line) and the $49 per person for the Turkish Visas...But that still left over $1000 for port charges and taxes et al...and that seemed a little steep to me... Makes you wonder...If the price of oil comes down between now and the cruise, will they rebate these fuel surcharges??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joan24 Posted August 18, 2005 #4 Share Posted August 18, 2005 When you get free air with Oceania, you pay for the transfers. Joan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digby Posted August 18, 2005 Author #5 Share Posted August 18, 2005 I wish they would just be honest and include all charges which they know about and are fairly constant in the quoted price. After all these charges are not optional and you can't cruise without paying them. I have not made my final payment for the 3/16/06 cruise, so I guess I can expect to see a 'surprise' on that final bill too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiggy Posted August 18, 2005 #6 Share Posted August 18, 2005 The "Air Taxes, Fuel Surcharges and Ticketing Fee" is for the "free air". For example, we're booked on the 10/06 Barcelona to Venice cruise. If I look to book open-jaw flights from Washington Dulles on Orbitz , the "air taxes and fees" range from $100-$200+. The "fuel surcharges" in the quote appear to be from the airlines. On a randomly-dated itinerary, I can get flights on Luftansa for $618. However, the actual cost of those tickets with taxes and fees is $839. Most travel sites will "tease" you with the first rate. When you go to purchase, the taxes and fees then pop up. International air taxes and fees tend to be quite outrageous. When we booked our Oceania cruise, our TA sent us a copy of Oceania's invoice. That spells everything out completely. When I asked for a quote, I asked for the bottom line and the breakdown of the costs. No surprises and I know which of those costs are "mandatory". Doing your own air and transfers cuts off a large amount of the "extra" costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruin Steve Posted August 18, 2005 #7 Share Posted August 18, 2005 When you get free air with Oceania, you pay for the transfers. Of course, part of my point is that the air isn't exactly "free"...If they offer me two different prices, one with air and the other without, then clearly, they are placing a value on the air and you are paying it... The real key to pricing is "apples-to-apples", forget the gimmicks... "Two-for-one" is a marketing gimmick..."Free Air" is a marketing gimmick... Truly, the pricing for ANYTHING is what the line offers as its fare and what the customer is willing to pay for it... All over the media, you see manufactured goods with "Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price"...Most of the time, this MSRP is something only a fool would pay...It's set HIGH to allow those selling it to make it look like they're offering deep discounts when it's sold at retail... I don't really care how Oceania or any other cruise line prices their product...I can read through miost of the BS...and, for me, the bottom line is the bottom line... But, to a lot of folks, when you publish an ad that reads "Two for the price of one...PLUS free air", most consumers read that as the entire trip as is CUSTOMARILLY sold by most cruise lines...with the only additional costs being hotel packages, on-board account, tips and shore excursions... I've travelled on six other cruise lines...and I've used the lines' air package on three of them...and, in each case, transfers were included...The only time I've paid extra for transfers (until now) was when I've booked my OWN air and hotels. Then, as a courtesy, the respective airlines offered transfers at additional cost. Obviously, Oceania can price it however they want...but, I am sure when a lot of people see their ad or webpage and see a $7198 cruise advertised as "Two for One-Free Air", they are no doubt surprised to get a quote upwards of $8500... The real bottom line is that my forthcoming 14-night European cruise on Oceania will cost me approximately 20% more, apples-to-apples, than my just-completed 14-night European cruise on Celebrity... I am sure Oceania afficianados will tell me they think it's worth 20% more...Maybe, maybe not, that's typically a matter of taste and preference... Of course, I really don't care...obviously, I'm willing to spend it and am looking forward to the cruise... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted August 18, 2005 #8 Share Posted August 18, 2005 When you get free air with Oceania, you pay for the transfers. Joan And the air taxes on the price they would have paid for the free air! Port taxes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digby Posted August 18, 2005 Author #9 Share Posted August 18, 2005 "The "Air Taxes, Fuel Surcharges and Ticketing Fee" is for the "free air". " Are you sure? We always book our own air plane reservations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Portolan Posted August 19, 2005 #10 Share Posted August 19, 2005 "The "Air Taxes, Fuel Surcharges and Ticketing Fee" is for the "free air". " Are you sure? We always book our own air plane reservations. If you are doing your own air, then the "Air Taxes, Fuel Surcharges and Ticketing Fee" should not be there. On our original quote, there was a $209 pp "Air Taxes, Fuel Surcharges and Ticketing Fee" and the statement that if we decline the "free" air (which we have since we always use FF miles) the price will be reduced by $600 pp "air credit" and the $209 pp "Air Taxes, Fuel Surcharges and Ticketing Fee". That entry is solely related to air provided by Oceania. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meow! Posted August 19, 2005 #11 Share Posted August 19, 2005 "Two-for-one" is a marketing gimmick..."Free Air" is a marketing gimmick... "Two for one" is a marketing gimmick. As FDR previously admitted, cruise lines sell cabins, not berths. The nominal price is what they want for a cabin, regardless of single or double occupancy (and Oceania has a 200% single supplement in any case). However, "free air" is not exactly a gimmick. Those on the west coast pay as much for Europe as those on the east coast, and the same is true for Asian itineraries. So how beneficial is "free air" to you depends on whether you live on the same or opposite coast to the direction of your voyage. It should therefore be considered "equalized air" rather than "free air", but it is not the same as "no air"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMe_ Posted August 19, 2005 #12 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Ok.. call me Math Challenged, but I do really find this all a bit confusing. We don't have ff miles so we have either their air or find our own. In my case, living in Southern Ontario and doing the Barcelona to Rome holiday, I felt that getting one way flights to two different destinations would definitely be more costly. So, opted for the 'free air'. For those of you in the know, would you say this was the correct way to go? Toronto is also one of their gateways, so that worked in our favour. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meow! Posted August 19, 2005 #13 Share Posted August 19, 2005 A cursory search on the web shows that just about all flights from Canada are a lot more expensive than from the U.S. And the upcharge for "open jawed" returns (as in the case for most cruises) is particularly steep for Canada. So those living in Canada will be a lot better off taking their included air, or so it appears! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnh Posted August 19, 2005 #14 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Digby, We did the 10/6 Regatta yesterday also. We do not do air( cheaper to buy business class from the airlines or freq fliers). The "extra" port($399/person)and Gvt(266/person) is over $1300 additional. We find that among the highest in the business. We all know these charges are just another word for "money". The 2 for 1 and "free" air is all just a game that the savvy purchaser figures out along the way. I find it interesting that the extra charges seem to be the same per passenger even if your room charge is different. That is, those charges(1300/person) are the same for an inside room or a Owners suite. That seems to really mess with the low price ticket seriously. Just another way to get "money", but an interesting way to do it rather than a percent of overall costs. I wonder if Oceania will try ( succeed) to add a "Fuel surcharge" ( again this is just "money") after one puts the deposit down and has there final bill. If that final charge can be changed by the cruise line ( with some "fuel charge" gimic), customers would really be upset. It is one thing to have added charges before the deposit( we all know we have to be careful to look at the total). It is another thing to have them increase prices after the deposit has been taken and we know( we think) what the final bill will be. See you on the 10/6/06 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted August 19, 2005 #15 Share Posted August 19, 2005 You will notice most other cruiselines have added "a fuel surcharge" now as well as the air carriers have up the ante. I am sure you have notice gas prices in your area have also risen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnh Posted August 19, 2005 #16 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Digby, 10/06 goes from Barcelona to Venice , right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted August 19, 2005 #17 Share Posted August 19, 2005 We don't have ff miles so we have either their air or find our own. In my case, living in Southern Ontario and doing the Barcelona to Rome holiday, I felt that getting one way flights to two different destinations would definitely be more costly. So, opted for the 'free air'. For those of you in the know, would you say this was the correct way to go? Toronto is also one of their gateways, so that worked in our favour. Thank you. Some flights may be cheaper if you do a charter flight from Ontario to some destinations and if your TA is will to use consolidators they can get a good deal on the OJ tickets. But the bigger agencies eg: Sears, Thomas cook do not give any breaks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruin Steve Posted August 19, 2005 #18 Share Posted August 19, 2005 ...opted for the 'free air'. For those of you in the know, would you say this was the correct way to go? From my experience, the cruise line air charges are usually reasonable...of course, it all depends on a lot of variables... Most important is the timing of your cruise...Airlines tend to run "deals" or sales only certain times of the year...Since I typically cruise in the summer, I've long since given up the idea of finding that unbelievably cheap airfare to Europe. They usually run those with caveats like "For travel between 1/15 and 3/31 only"...OF course, if you're going THAT time of year, well, that's different... Also important is from where and to where you are flying... New York to London usually has some decent prices..Phoenix to Athens doesn't...Why? Law of supply and demand...There are many, many JFK to Heathrow flights on many different airlines. Competition... But no one flies Phoenix to Athens. They can charge wahatever they want. Open jaw tickets (in one city, out another) don't cost nearly as much as most people think...In fact, if you use frequent flyer mileage, they are the same price in miles...We've even found that American Airlines will give you a "triangle" for the same cost in miles as a round trip--which is why we did a pre-cruise 4 night stop in Madrid before continuing on to London and our cruise out of Dover last month. But, Toronto to Barcelona, Venice to Toronto just might be an expensive ticket on its own...and Cruise line air policies DO tend to equalize these things--the price is typically the same for ANY gateway city. When comparing prices, you also need to figure in the entire cost--apples to apples, so to speak...MOST cruise lines (not Oceania, apparently) include transfers and taxes with the cruise air...Your "on your own" ticketing, before all is said and done, will add in taxes, fees, ticketing fees, etc. If your cruise air would have included transfers, then you have to factor in the cost of ground transportation as well... There are other advantages and disadvantages of Cruise Air... Advantages: --You don't have to deal with it... --You can back out right up until final payment day...So you can cancel the cruise and not worry about having already paid for nonrefundable tickets. And, as was pointed out above, if you find a much better deal, you can opt out... --The cruise line will get you there, your transfers will be coordinated with your air travel Disadvantages: --You don't pick your own flights (unless you want to pay a deviation fee and, possibly, extra costs) --You don't know what flights you're on or what time you're leaving or returning until the cruise line tells you (typically maybe only a month before the trip) --You may get less attractive flights (in terms of stopovers, flight times, etc.) Good luck... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digby Posted August 19, 2005 Author #19 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Digby, 10/06 goes from Barcelona to Venice , right? Don't know. LOL! We are on the 10/20 Venice to Barcelona. We may be passing on the dock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaannnthony Posted August 19, 2005 #20 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Good one!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMe_ Posted August 19, 2005 #21 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Thanks Meow, Steve, LHT, I think I have better understanding of how this works now. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drwong Posted August 20, 2005 #22 Share Posted August 20, 2005 I'm just getting caught up on my news, but did anyone see this in last week's New York Times? Surging oil prices are now making themselves felt on the high seas. Crystal Cruises is the latest cruise line to announce a fuel surcharge on travelers: $4 per person per day on cruises that are not already paid in full. Mimi Weisband, a Crystal Cruises spokeswoman, said the company ``has for quite a while been absorbing the additional expenses of rising fuel prices.'' ``All forecasts indicated that it was not going down, '' she said. Radisson Seven Seas and Star Cruises have also instituted surcharges in recent months, and similar fees on other lines could be in the works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnh Posted August 20, 2005 #23 Share Posted August 20, 2005 Digby, thought you were on the 10/6 because thats what you said in the beginning post on the thread, sry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digby Posted August 20, 2005 Author #24 Share Posted August 20, 2005 Digby, thought you were on the 10/6 because thats what you said in the beginning post on the thread, sry. OOPS! You are correct! Sometimes my fingers and mind are out of sync! We have an Oceania cruise leaving on 3/16/06 and one leaving 10/20/06. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaannnthony Posted August 20, 2005 #25 Share Posted August 20, 2005 Sorry digby, but, you obviously can't recall what you meant in your post just two days ago. Here's Dr. Freud's quicky analysis: you posted ".....Oceania cruise for 10/06 from Venice....". You meant October 2006, not October 6th; memory fails. Further, recheck that Atlas to make sure you made your decision based on the right direction; you wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of the ship! Either way, ENJOY!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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