please explain ole life? Is this an extra cost or included?

[LHT28]

Just to add

you do not really know what Oceania air prices are   they get bulk rates  so hard to compare with the airlines own prices

If  they have a special on for your sailing for PE seating  it is  a set rate per leg usually over water  segment

Eg NYC to LHR   if flying from Podunk to NYC  then to LHR  you will not have PE on the Podunk to NYC

 

You can find out  what the air credit is (discount on the total cruise fare)  some are $400  for N.A. departure ports  some are $1000. for  overseas  ..it is  also a moving target  depending on  when you book or if you take the air then decide to drop the air & take the credit

 

If you want BUS or 1st  class  just book your own air

JMO

[hubofhockey]

1 hour ago, StanandJim said:

I don't know what advice your Agent gave you, but I do know that rather than leaning on him or her for information, you were asking a bunch of strangers on a Message Board, which appeared as though you were not confident in your Agent (MANY are not).

 

Having the additional information that you gave in your last Post up to now, it seems as if I was correct about your Agent not understanding the Oceania System fully, as by the time that you locked into a Price for Oceania Air (especially with your Premium Economy requirement in play) several non refundable fees would already have kicked in.

 

In short, my perhaps unsolicited free advice would have saved you several hundred dollars over the "Book it and then cancel" advice of your Agent. 

What is the old saying about kicking a gift horse in the mouth?

 

 

 

 

I'm only asking to get as much information as I can.  I don't take what I get on a message board and go with it.  I follow up.  My agent is pretty good.  He didn't say "book it", he said book with air option and then take or don't take based on what you find.  My entire fare at this point is refundable. I'll book air when it becomes available on AMEX (either 11 months or 12 months out - I forget).  I can tell you that I saved over $600 per ticket on PE on Cathay Pacific's online fares by using AMEX Platinum Travel.  

 

 I have zero risk and just trying to get information from some who may have AMEX Platinum and have done comparisons with Oceania air option.  If you don't have that information, great.  Maybe someone who's compared them in the past has.    

 

For a year earlier, Boston to Tokyo, JAL is $1925 RT PE.  I'll look at both in a few months and won't book one or the other until I see both.

Edited November 17, 2019 by hubofhockey

[StanandJim]

49 minutes ago, hubofhockey said:

 

I'm only asking to get as much information as I can.  I don't take what I get on a message board and go with it.  I follow up.  My agent is pretty good.  He didn't say "book it", he said book with air option and then take or don't take based on what you find.  My entire fare at this point is refundable. I'll book air when it becomes available on AMEX (either 11 months or 12 months out - I forget).  I can tell you that I saved over $600 per ticket on PE on Cathay Pacific's online fares by using AMEX Platinum Travel.  

 

 I have zero risk and just trying to get information from some who may have AMEX Platinum and have done comparisons with Oceania air option.  If you don't have that information, great.  Maybe someone who's compared them in the past has.    

 

For a year earlier, Boston to Tokyo, JAL is $1925 RT PE.  I'll look at both in a few months and won't book one or the other until I see both.

Although I realize that you are trying to be thorough, I am also  getting a sense that you may be the type to rush into situations before you know all of the facts.

 

I would be very surprised, for example, to learn that your fare is entirely refundable, even at this early date.

[LHT28]

38 minutes ago, StanandJim said:

 

I would be very surprised, for example, to learn that your fare is entirely refundable, even at this early date.

Jim

Just to  refresh your memory here is the refund policy with Oceania

https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005306234-What-is-your-cancellation-and-refund-policy-

 

I believe  HUBOFHOCKEY  is not sailing until 2021   so still within  the  refundable  fare    option

[hubofhockey]

1 hour ago, StanandJim said:

Although I realize that you are trying to be thorough, I am also  getting a sense that you may be the type to rush into situations before you know all of the facts.

 

I would be very surprised, for example, to learn that your fare is entirely refundable, even at this early date.

 

Not rushing into anything,  In fact, I have two cruises (also booked Pursuit, but price is ridiculous right now)  booked during this same time period.  No real dollars are going out the door until prices shake out next spring.  I'm hoping to learn ins and out of Oceania from you guys on these boards.  In any case, what I like about the O cruise is price and I can fit 10 days in Japan with 3 full days in Tokyo pre-cruise, while A is a 15 nighter.  I still work, so the Nautica makes more sense.  I also noticed Windstar has similar itinerary, but need to research them.

[LHT28]

3 hours ago, hubofhockey said:

 

Not rushing into anything,  In fact, I have two cruises (also booked Pursuit, but price is ridiculous right now)  booked during this same time period.  No real dollars are going out the door until prices shake out next spring.  I'm hoping to learn ins and out of Oceania from you guys on these boards.  In any case, what I like about the O cruise is price and I can fit 10 days in Japan with 3 full days in Tokyo pre-cruise, while A is a 15 nighter.  I still work, so the Nautica makes more sense.  I also noticed Windstar has similar itinerary, but need to research them.

If you are planning to fly in earlier  be sure to factor in the Deviation fee  ($175 pp) if using Oceania air  unless of course you are using their hotel package  which is usually a lot more than booking your own hotel

 

[hubofhockey]

9 hours ago, LHT28 said:

If you are planning to fly in earlier  be sure to factor in the Deviation fee  ($175 pp) if using Oceania air  unless of course you are using their hotel package  which is usually a lot more than booking your own hotel

 

 

Thanks, I'll have to look at that.  We are do it yourself people.  This cruise starts in Tokyo and we want to leave on a Friday to get three full days there before the cruise.  We also want to pick our airline and time.  There are two direct flights out of Boston and my guess is Japan Air is better than the legacy US airline, which may cost a little less.  

 

It also looks as if the typical Europe itineraries offer more on O-Life than Asia bookings.  I am trying to gain a better understanding of the price structure and inclusions and exclusions on Oceania.  So far, so good with this one and, based on experiences on the Quest, I really like these R Class ships.  

[GMaCarolK]

We went on Oceania Nautica Mediterranean Cruise this October. We chose it for both itinerary (wanted to include Florence, Rome, Pompeii, Venice), and time of year (wanted off season; I do not deal well with huge crowds or heat). We were very happy with our selection of this cruise.  Crowds were manageable (few ships in all ports) and temperature was good for long days outside. 
 

Oceania is not known for entertainment, but we were usually too tired to attend.  
 

We had a Deluxe Ocean View cabin (7006).  While we did not have a balcony, we did have a little extra space in the room.  We easily found places where we could enjoy the view on the pool deck or in Horizons.  There are very few of these cabins, so snap one up if this meets your needs. 
 

We did take O-Life. Enjoyed dinners in specialty restaurants. Took advantage of the included excursions in Florence (transfer only - no tour guide needed there); Pompeii; Venice (included visit to Murano and gondola ride).  Be aware that the “included” excursions are amenities, so NO refund if the tour is cancelled. We missed a port due to high winds so tours there were cancelled. 
 

Be sure to buy travel insurance. Due to a medical emergency we could not go early for a pre-cruise stay. Oceania (and probably all cruise lines) will not refund last-minute cancellations, regardless of reason. Am hoping our insurance will reimburse us for flight change costs, hotel room, and tour tickets. 
 

On a positive note, Oceania took care of rebooking our flights when ours were cancelled due to an airline strike. The people who booked their own flights were struggling. Of course, this was a very unusual situation. We are just “lucky” that way. 

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, hubofhockey said:

 

Thanks, I'll have to look at that.  We are do it yourself people.  This cruise starts in Tokyo and we want to leave on a Friday to get three full days there before the cruise.  We also want to pick our airline and time.  There are two direct flights out of Boston and my guess is Japan Air is better than the legacy US airline, which may cost a little less.  

 

I am not seeing the special PE pricing for your sailing  (so far)

So to get PE from Oceania it would probably cost a lot more,  then add the deviation fee  for flying in early plus any upcharges to pick Japan air  you probably would be better off  booking our own

I would  ask your TA  what the Air credit is & then decide

JMO

 

At the moment I am seeing PE flights R?T  to NRT  at  $2177.    on ITA site  

maybe seat sales by the time you need to book

[LHT28]

10 minutes ago, GMaCarolK said:

.  Be aware that the “included” excursions are amenities, so NO refund if the tour is cancelled. We missed a port due to high winds so tours there were cancelled. 

 

 

Did you not get  $100 OBC  for the cancelled excursion or get to choose another excursion to replace the one cancelled???

[GMaCarolK]

We did not use an “included” tour for this one. We used an onboard credit to pay for it, so we got our credit back. However, my husband observed another passenger who was requesting OBC for the canceled tour. He did not hear the entire conversation, but the initial response was that a included tour is a non-reimbursed amenity - so no OBC. I do not know if they would have allowed a different excursion. This was fairly late in the cruise, so perhaps there was nothing left of interest to the passenger. 

[LHT28]

9 minutes ago, GMaCarolK said:

We did not use an “included” tour for this one. We used an onboard credit to pay for it, so we got our credit back.

Glad you got your refund for the tour

[hubofhockey]

2 hours ago, LHT28 said:

I am not seeing the special PE pricing for your sailing  (so far)

So to get PE from Oceania it would probably cost a lot more,  then add the deviation fee  for flying in early plus any upcharges to pick Japan air  you probably would be better off  booking our own

I would  ask your TA  what the Air credit is & then decide

JMO

 

At the moment I am seeing PE flights R?T  to NRT  at  $2177.    on ITA site  

maybe seat sales by the time you need to book

 

Thank you for your help.  I'm not sure there would be air credit unless I booked O-Life.  It looks like PE pricing specials are only an incentive to their many European and non-Asia itineraries.  I think the cruise lines are getting a premium on Japan, especially during cherry blossom season, and aren't discounting.  At least, it's not as bad as Azamara who wanted over $17,000 for the lowest level balcony for their 15-day itinerary.  That's what drew me to Oceania.  I got under $10,000 with gratuities also paid for a 10-day itinerary and we can add on a three full days in Tokyo before the cruise.  It works really well for us.  I am trying to learn the pricing subtleties between the two lines, and I'm getting there.    I'll probably be able to save on PE a bit through AMEX and we'll be good.  Maybe at some point Oceania adds the PE incentive and we have time to wait on that.  

[LHT28]

2 minutes ago, hubofhockey said:

 

Thank you for your help.  I'm not sure there would be air credit unless I booked O-Life

You can book with or with air  it is NOT part of the O LIfe perk

 

Once you find out  the air credit  do the math you may be paying for your own NON refundable O Life deal

[hubofhockey]

4 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

You can book with or with air  it is NOT part of the O LIfe perk

 

Once you find out  the air credit  do the math you may be paying for your own NON refundable O Life deal

 

Are you saying that they would give me a credit for air even if I fly on my own, but the catch is, if I take it, my fare becomes non-refundable?  That's pretty interesting, if true.  

[LHT28]

6 minutes ago, hubofhockey said:

 

Are you saying that they would give me a credit for air even if I fly on my own, but the catch is, if I take it, my fare becomes non-refundable?  That's pretty interesting, if true.  

sorry to confuse you

If you do not take the included air  they give you a discount ..the amount varies depending on the cruise

If you still want the O Life perk  you can take it

Or just take the cruise only fare

The key here is the amount of the air credit if you do not use their air

Ask your TA  what that amount is 

[hubofhockey]

9 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

sorry to confuse you

If you do not take the included air  they give you a discount ..the amount varies depending on the cruise

If you still want the O Life perk  you can take it

Or just take the cruise only fare

The key here is the amount of the air credit if you do not use their air

Ask your TA  what that amount is 

 

Okay, got it.  Just called Oceania.  My price now is cruise only and they told me it has been reduced by $1,100 per person for airline credit. To put flights back on, I'm thinking $1,275 per person with deviation.

 

I have no idea if they would put me on the non-stop JAL flight that is $1,720 RT or one of the many other one-stop flights that are about $1,100 RT.  PE through AMEX for the same flight in 2020 is $1,936. 

 

My price difference between Oceania Air of $1,275 for Economy and PE  with JAL nonstop with AMEX is $661 per person.  If that economy is for the JAL nonstop, it's a great deal.  If not, then PE on JAL nonstop through AMEX makes more sense.  It might make more sense anyway on a 14-hour flight.

 

I really appreciate your help LHT28. I understand this much better now.  

[LHT28]

11 minutes ago, hubofhockey said:

 

Okay, got it.  Just called Oceania.  My price now is cruise only and they told me it has been reduced by $1,100 per person for airline credit. To put flights back on, I'm thinking $1,275 per person with deviation.

 

I have no idea if they would put me on the non-stop JAL flight that is $1,720 RT or one of the many other one-stop flights that are about $1,100 RT.  PE through AMEX for the same flight in 2020 is $1,936. 

 

My price difference between Oceania Air of $1,275 for Economy and PE  with JAL nonstop with AMEX is $661 per person.  If that economy is for the JAL nonstop, it's a great deal.  If not, then PE on JAL nonstop through AMEX makes more sense.  It might make more sense anyway on a 14-hour flight.

 

I really appreciate your help LHT28. I understand this much better now.  

When the time comes  270 days from sailing you can ask the deviation dept  for the flights you want  & see if they can get JAL nonstop  it may have an upcharge as well as the deviation fee

But  from the sounds of it  you are probably better off booking direct or via AMEX

FWIW I would book 1st or BUS for that length of flight  😉

[Flatbush Flyer]

4 hours ago, GMaCarolK said:

We did not use an “included” tour for this one. We used an onboard credit to pay for it, so we got our credit back. However, my husband observed another passenger who was requesting OBC for the canceled tour. He did not hear the entire conversation, but the initial response was that a included tour is a non-reimbursed amenity - so no OBC. I do not know if they would have allowed a different excursion. This was fairly late in the cruise, so perhaps there was nothing left of interest to the passenger. 

Wrong.

O Life tours cancelled by Oceania are always reimbursed at $100/per person (non-refundable SBC) per tour (that originally scheduled as an O Life choice). The credit, however, may not appear until near the end of the cruise, which doesn't matter since all onboard expenditure are first charged to the non-refundable SBC before using any of your refundable SBC (e.g., from your TA).

[hubofhockey]

Thanks again.  We did BOS-Hong Kong, which was an hour more on Cathay Pacific in their PE and were fine.  I'll look at JAL's PE on Youtube videos.  The Asian airlines seem to do a better job with PE than US airlines.

[Flatbush Flyer]

19 minutes ago, hubofhockey said:

Thanks again.  We did BOS-Hong Kong, which was an hour more on Cathay Pacific in their PE and were fine.  I'll look at JAL's PE on Youtube videos.  The Asian airlines seem to do a better job with PE than US airlines.

United's new PremiumPlus: everything bizclass but no lay-flat seats. Quite nice.

Cathay Pacific's newest iteration of PE appears to be the gold standard right now for PE. Too bad it's not a Star Alliance member.

Lately, cheapest bizclass for us at SFO headed to certain Asia ports is Philippine Airlines through Manila.

Edited November 18, 2019 by Flatbush Flyer

[hubofhockey]

21 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

United's new PremiumPlus: everything bizclass but no lay-flat seats. Quite nice.

Cathay Pacific's newest iteration of PE appears to be the gold standard right now for PE. Too bad it's not a Star Alliance member.

Lately, cheapest bizclass for us at SFO headed to certain Asia ports is Philippine Airlines through Manila.

 

Bizclass out of my price range on JAL.  JAL has $9400 and AMEX provides a $1200 savings.  The cruise itself is barely more than that.  AMEX saves $340 a person and is $1936.  Cathay Pacific is really good.  The only problem was access to the PE rest rooms from the left side, but other than that, Cathay does a nice job with PE.   

 

From Boston, we have only one non-stop to Hong Kong and that's Cathay Pacific and only one to Tokyo and that's JAL.  I doubt Oceania would put people on the JAL non-stop at $1,100 when the cost is $1,700.  That's probably a pipe dream.  You probably have more options out of SFO and maybe the competition gives you better prices on direct, but no such luck in Boston.  

 

I do appreciate both of you providing advice on the O air credit.  My TA really is good (mainly at savings), but probably didn't explain this all that well.  

 

 

[LHT28]

5 minutes ago, hubofhockey said:

I do appreciate both of you providing advice on the O air credit.  My TA really is good (mainly at savings), but probably didn't explain this all that well.  

 

 

It can be complicated with Oceania   that is why have  a TA well versed in all things Oceania  is a good thing  😀

 

[hubofhockey]

34 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

It can be complicated with Oceania   that is why have  a TA well versed in all things Oceania  is a good thing  😀

 

 

He's fine and saved me $1,220 on a $11,118 cruise.  😉 

 

But you're right.  It is complicated.  Those complications may have stopped me from looking at Oceania in the past.  There is something to be said for simplicity. 

 

[StanandJim]

16 hours ago, hubofhockey said:

 

He's fine and saved me $1,220 on a $11,118 cruise.  😉 

 

But you're right.  It is complicated.  Those complications may have stopped me from looking at Oceania in the past.  There is something to be said for simplicity. 

 

Perhaps true, but they do spring for a Travel Professional to guide you through that complicated process.

If he is "fine", use him.