O life air?

[Redtravel]

Just got brochure listing new 2022 cruises.  In it it states that if you buy O life air it includes free airport transfers.  Does that apply to all cruises?  Just booked a cruise this week and it did not include the transfers.  My invoice lists a fee for transfers.  

[pinotlover]

57 minutes ago, Redtravel said:

Just got brochure listing new 2022 cruises.  In it it states that if you buy O life air it includes free airport transfers.  Does that apply to all cruises?  Just booked a cruise this week and it did not include the transfers.  My invoice lists a fee for transfers.  

It’s a moving target. Different promotions have different benefits.

 

Believe your invoice.

 

Best source is your Travel Agent.

[GICNJC]

Oceania is now offering transfers if you take Olife.  It makes sense in these Covid times to control exposure.

[LHT28]

maybe it is  for selected cruises??

 I  a good question for your TA

[Carol28]

The cruise I'm looking at starts in Rome and ends in London.  Of course, it's probably Civitavecchia and Southampton.  Will the Olife transfers include transfers between city and port?

 

[CintiPam]

1 hour ago, Carol28 said:

The cruise I'm looking at starts in Rome and ends in London.  Of course, it's probably Civitavecchia and Southampton.  Will the Olife transfers include transfers between city and port?

 

The transfers are between the airport and the port, not the city and the port. 
 

However, if you opt to purchase the ridiculously-priced hotel nights usually offered, in the past you also received those transfers, I believe, as part of those outrageous markups. I have no personal experience using that option.  

Edited November 8, 2020 by CintiPam

[LHT28]

3 hours ago, Carol28 said:

The cruise I'm looking at starts in Rome and ends in London.  Of course, it's probably Civitavecchia and Southampton.  Will the Olife transfers include transfers between city and port?

 

I am guessing they will be to/from airport/port   on the  day of embarkation/disembarkation

 

If you want to go in early to the embarkation port  you will probably not get the free transfers

I would check the fine print that goes with the offer

[ORV]

17 hours ago, pinotlover said:

Best source is your Travel Agent

Can't be stressed enough. We don't have the answers, but your TA either does or can get them for you. 

[Redtravel]

I usually book my own air and transfers. I chose to book O life with air using FCC for the deposit.  However, I booked the air from O since there is a chance that the ships may not sail due to the pandemic. Hope by next summer we have a vaccine.  In some ports, the transfers can be expensive.  It seems like a good selling feature to offer free transfers.  It keeps the incoming cruisers away together with less exposure to other people. 

[MisterBill99]

On 11/7/2020 at 9:16 PM, CintiPam said:

The transfers are between the airport and the port, not the city and the port. 
 

However, if you opt to purchase the ridiculously-priced hotel nights usually offered, in the past you also received those transfers, I believe, as part of those outrageous markups. I have no personal experience using that option.  

 

I just booked a cruise for 2022 and might actually book a hotel in Athens through Oceania even though it will be overpriced. Will need to compare the price of airfare plus transfers to what I am paying for the "free" airfare and $149 Premium Economy upgrade promotion. I checked 2021 pricing (since there are no hotels showing for my 2022 cruise yet), and they have a hotel for $349 per person per night. That particular hotel would be $400-500 including taxes, so it's possible that it could be worth paying a little more to avoid paying for transfers and getting the discounted PE.

 

We would probably only do one night. If we did more than that, the math is different obviously. And I could probably find a cheaper hotel. In any event, I have a year to decide.

[ORV]

11 hours ago, MisterBill99 said:

 

I just booked a cruise for 2022 and might actually book a hotel in Athens through Oceania even though it will be overpriced. Will need to compare the price of airfare plus transfers to what I am paying for the "free" airfare and $149 Premium Economy upgrade promotion. I checked 2021 pricing (since there are no hotels showing for my 2022 cruise yet), and they have a hotel for $349 per person per night. That particular hotel would be $400-500 including taxes, so it's possible that it could be worth paying a little more to avoid paying for transfers and getting the discounted PE.

 

We would probably only do one night. If we did more than that, the math is different obviously. And I could probably find a cheaper hotel. In any event, I have a year to decide.

Might be one of the few situations that using their hotel would work. In Athens it's a long way from the port to the airport. When we were there over 10 years ago a taxi from our hotel to the airport was around 40 Euro. Our group of 4 were forced to take 2 separate cabs and that doubled the price. I didn't fly into Athens, only out, so if that's the case then the transfers would get pretty expensive. 

[pinotlover]

We stayed downtown Athens, a couple of years ago, at a Marriott property adjacent to the hotel used by O. Hotel car pick up was 25 Euro from the airport. Taxi from hotel to port was about 20 Euros . Not worth paying O’s outrageous prices!

[ToxM]

1 hour ago, ORV said:

Might be one of the few situations that using their hotel would work. In Athens it's a long way from the port to the airport. When we were there over 10 years ago a taxi from our hotel to the airport was around 40 Euro. Our group of 4 were forced to take 2 separate cabs and that doubled the price. I didn't fly into Athens, only out, so if that's the case then the transfers would get pretty expensive. 

 2017 it was 70 euro for a cab from the airport to the port, a long way, but he drove like a madman LOL 

[CintiPam]

21 hours ago, MisterBill99 said:

 

I just booked a cruise for 2022 and might actually book a hotel in Athens through Oceania even though it will be overpriced. Will need to compare the price of airfare plus transfers to what I am paying for the "free" airfare and $149 Premium Economy upgrade promotion. I checked 2021 pricing (since there are no hotels showing for my 2022 cruise yet), and they have a hotel for $349 per person per night. That particular hotel would be $400-500 including taxes, so it's possible that it could be worth paying a little more to avoid paying for transfers and getting the discounted PE.

 

We would probably only do one night. If we did more than that, the math is different obviously. And I could probably find a cheaper hotel. In any event, I have a year to decide.

The current cost of a taxi (not per person) from the airport to downtown is fixed by law at 38 Euros and from the airport to the port is 50 Euros. The taxi from central Athens to the port is around 15 Euros. 

[ORV]

12 hours ago, CintiPam said:

The current cost of a taxi (not per person) from the airport to downtown is fixed by law at 38 Euros and from the airport to the port is 50 Euros. The taxi from central Athens to the port is around 15 Euros. 

Yes, but the sedan only restriction that we ran into can increase your cost if there are more than 2 of you traveling. 

[MisterBill99]

13 hours ago, CintiPam said:

The current cost of a taxi (not per person) from the airport to downtown is fixed by law at 38 Euros and from the airport to the port is 50 Euros. The taxi from central Athens to the port is around 15 Euros. 

 

Thanks. But I still need to consider the relative cost of 

 

A) their air + PE upgrade ($149x4) + their expensive hotel vs.

B) their air + PE upgrade + $350 custom air fee + my hotel + transfers vs.

C) buying PE tickets + hotel + transfers (Athens and Barcelona) - air allowance.

 

In my situation, I think that A will be a better deal than B. The cost of C is an unknown at this point.

 

Obviously if you're at a high enough level with Oceania to not pay the custom air fee, it's a different comparison and an easier decision for A vs B. But I'm not. And I guess one other consideration is that if I did C, I might fly in two days early instead of one. Unlikely if I am paying their hotel price (extra nights don't seem to be AS expensive but are still not reasonable).

Edited November 20, 2020 by MisterBill99

[clo]

1 hour ago, MisterBill99 said:

Unlikely if I am paying their hotel price (extra nights don't seem to be AS expensive but are still not reasonable).

There must be thousands and thousands are nice hotel rooms in Athens for way under those prices. Like hundreds less. And if you're only going to be there a night or two, who cares? 

[StanandJim]

2 hours ago, clo said:

There must be thousands and thousands are nice hotel rooms in Athens for way under those prices. Like hundreds less. And if you're only going to be there a night or two, who cares? 

In Athens we always scrounge up enough Points of one kind or another to Stay at the Grand Bretaigne, because of its historical significance, great service and Superb Rooftop restaurant overlooking the Parthenon.  

Unbelievably, the food is as good as the view......

[MisterBill99]

1 hour ago, StanandJim said:

In Athens we always scrounge up enough Points of one kind or another to Stay at the Grand Bretaigne, because of its historical significance, great service and Superb Rooftop restaurant overlooking the Parthenon.  

Unbelievably, the food is as good as the view......

 

That is the hotel that Oceania has. And literally since the last time  I looked yesterday and now, it is showing up as the pre-cruise hotel for my sailing. But the 2022 price is $379pp as opposed to $349 for 2021. I guess they have to make up for the reduced PE surcharge from $199 to $149.

Edited November 20, 2020 by MisterBill99

[MisterBill99]

4 hours ago, clo said:

There must be thousands and thousands are nice hotel rooms in Athens for way under those prices. Like hundreds less. And if you're only going to be there a night or two, who cares? 

 

But as I posted, it's not as simple as just comparing hotel prices. Not taking their hotel and flying in a day early adds $350 in Custom Air to the equation, plus transfers. Unless it turns out to be cheaper to just get the air myself at that point.

[shank63]

On 11/20/2020 at 3:52 PM, StanandJim said:

In Athens we always scrounge up enough Points of one kind or another to Stay at the Grand Bretaigne, because of its historical significance, great service and Superb Rooftop restaurant overlooking the Parthenon.  

Unbelievably, the food is as good as the view......

At the end of our 2018 cruise in Athens, we had reservations at the King George Hotel but were cancelled and rebooked at the Grande Bretagne which is next door.  As stated, location, service, rooftop restaurant view, and food were excellent.  We are booked on the Riviera out of Athens in September 2021, so based on our previous experience have made our pre embarkment reservations at the Grande Bretagne using points.  The quoted rate is $650/room or so, beginning rate per night, so the O rate is basically comparable, although more than I care to pay in real money.  

[StanandJim]

On 11/20/2020 at 5:36 PM, MisterBill99 said:

 

That is the hotel that Oceania has. And literally since the last time  I looked yesterday and now, it is showing up as the pre-cruise hotel for my sailing. But the 2022 price is $379pp as opposed to $349 for 2021. I guess they have to make up for the reduced PE surcharge from $199 to $149.

The Grand Bretagne in my opinion, offers a once in a lifetime experience at their rooftop restaurant which will be your chief talking point about Athens, ever after.

Please don't miss it to save $50, or even $150.00 per person

It is THAT GOOD.  

 

 

 

[clo]

1 hour ago, StanandJim said:

The Grand Bretagne in my opinion, offers a once in a lifetime experience at their rooftop restaurant which will be your chief talking point about Athens, ever after.

Please don't miss it to save $50, or even $150.00 per person

It is THAT GOOD.  

 

 

 

I just looked and it can be had for $278 not pp. Good grief, people.

[MisterBill99]

2 hours ago, clo said:

I just looked and it can be had for $278 not pp. Good grief, people.

 

What site and dates? I saw it for around $500 for several months from now. Prices for right now don't count since people still aren't traveling. Also, once again remember that the alternative (for me, at least) is paying $350 is custom air fees plus transfers, unless getting the airfare myself also ends up being a better deal.

Edited November 29, 2020 by MisterBill99

[MisterBill99]

3 hours ago, StanandJim said:

The Grand Bretagne in my opinion, offers a once in a lifetime experience at their rooftop restaurant which will be your chief talking point about Athens, ever after.

Please don't miss it to save $50, or even $150.00 per person

It is THAT GOOD.  

 

Thanks I figure I have until the end of May 2021 before I can make my decision since that's 11 months before the flight.