Airfare Inclusion

[Heartlander1965]

Who can help us understand how booking flights through Oceania works? Are we going to be facing crazy long layaways and multiple stops? I'm trying to decide whether to just book our own. Thanks for any help on this. 

[LHT28]

You can pay a non refundable deviation fee to fly in early or stay longer after the cruise  (recommended)  $175 PP 

You request the flights you want about 270 out  

Oceania will see if they can get those flights  sometimes there is an upcharge 

You can keep choosing the flights until you & Oceania agree

Be sure to make sure you choose all flights  before you are charged the fee 

if you change your mind/dates etc  the fee is non refundable  once you accept the flights

 

Compare what you can get yourself before  confirming the flights with O

 

If you want BIZ class  book your own

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 minute ago, LHT28 said:

You can pay a non refundable deviation fee to fly in early or stay longer after the cruise  (recommended)  $175 PP 

You request the flights you want about 270 out  

Oceania will see if they can get those flights  sometimes there is an upcharge 

You can keep choosing the flights until you & Oceania agree

Be sure to make sure you choose all flights  before you are charged the fee 

if you change your mind/dates etc  the fee is non refundable  once you accept the flights

 

If you want BIZ class  book your own

Absolutely agree about DIY bizclass only. Search CC for my detailed reasons why (even folks in their air dept. agree).

[Heartlander1965]

1 minute ago, LHT28 said:

You can pay a non refundable deviation fee to fly in early or stay longer after the cruise  (recommended)  $175 PP 

You request the flights you want about 270 out  

Oceania will see if they can get those flights  sometimes there is an upcharge 

You can keep choosing the flights until you & Oceania agree

Be sure to make sure you choose all flights  before you are charged the fee 

if you change your mind/dates etc  the fee is non refundable  once you accept the flights

They charge $175 pp extra if I want to fly in a day early to avoid possible day of voyage changes? The difference in "flight inclusion" or not is $1300 pp. 

Seems I can just book my own flights for the same amount of money and greater control of the process. 

[LHT28]

Just now, Heartlander1965 said:

They charge $175 pp extra if I want to fly in a day early to avoid possible day of voyage changes? The difference in "flight inclusion" or not is $1300 pp. 

Seems I can just book my own flights for the same amount of money and greater control of the process. 

Sometime the  paying the fee works sometimes not

 You are the only one that can decide what works for you

Everyone need to do the math & see what works for  them

 

If doing a crossing  the O air works  for most  unless you want BIZ class 😉

JMO

[Heartlander1965]

If they are adding fees in order to arrive a day early, I'm doing the math for economy and there is no savings whatsoever in going through O. I suppose I'm probably going to use a travel agent for this and will likely get a clearer picture how this process works. Thanks!

[LHT28]

Just now, Heartlander1965 said:

If they are adding fees in order to arrive a day early, I'm doing the math for economy and there is no savings whatsoever in going through O. I suppose I'm probably going to use a travel agent for this and will likely get a clearer picture how this process works. Thanks!

if you can get a better deal on your own  & pick the dates you want  I would  DIY

You will get an air credit or just pick "Cruise only " fares

We have use O air also do our own 

[Flatbush Flyer]

4 minutes ago, Heartlander1965 said:

If they are adding fees in order to arrive a day early, I'm doing the math for economy and there is no savings whatsoever in going through O. I suppose I'm probably going to use a travel agent for this and will likely get a clearer picture how this process works. Thanks!

Use ITA Matrix to see the widest variety of possible routings and prices (no tix sales). Always call preferred airlines as well as looking on their website. You’d be amazed what can be done with the right phone agent.

The only issue with using a TA for air is that they have to do any route changes etc.

[FlyerTalker]

14 minutes ago, Heartlander1965 said:

I suppose I'm probably going to use a travel agent for this and will likely get a clearer picture how this process works. Thanks!

 

7 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

The only issue with using a TA for air is that they have to do any route changes etc.

 

The other issue....finding a TA who actually knows how to work the air system, either through the cruiseline or with the carrier directly.

 

[Heartlander1965]

4 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

 

The other issue....finding a TA who actually knows how to work the air system, either through the cruiseline or with the carrier directly.

 

It just dawned on me that the wife of somebody I worked with is a travel agent and he told me they no longer make any money booking flights. I have always done pretty well for us while spending hours on the phone with airline agents. 

[shank63]

19 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

You can pay a non refundable deviation fee to fly in early or stay longer after the cruise  (recommended)  $175 PP 

You request the flights you want about 270 out  

Oceania will see if they can get those flights  sometimes there is an upcharge 

You can keep choosing the flights until you & Oceania agree

Be sure to make sure you choose all flights  before you are charged the fee 

if you change your mind/dates etc  the fee is non refundable  once you accept the flights

 

Compare what you can get yourself before  confirming the flights with O

 

If you want BIZ class  book your own

Very good explanation of O’s air service.  My only experience with O air was using the deviation option, and we opted for Premium Economy at $149/pp/flight.  The credit for opting out of air was $1,000 pp, making the “cost” of O air to be $1,473 pp with Premium Economy both ways.  I could not come close to that on my own, and more importantly was able to select the flights.  I was very pleased, however on subsequent cruises we were able to book our flights using frequent flyer miles and take O’s credit.  On the other hand, we were booked on a Viking Ocean cruise with their “free” air, and they had us booked with multiple legs and terrible connections. We had not paid the additional fee to have some desecration in picking flights due to Covid and possible cancellation, which was the case.  As others have advised, do the math and decide, but once the deviation fess is paid, it is non refundable and the flights cannot be changed or modified.

 

[AMHuntFerry]

If you are not near one of O's major cities (can't remember the term they use), there is also a $99 charge each direction. Transfers are included for same day as cruise arrivals/departures, so no taxi/uber fare.

[AMHuntFerry]

1 hour ago, Heartlander1965 said:

They charge $175 pp extra if I want to fly in a day early to avoid possible day of voyage changes? The difference in "flight inclusion" or not is $1300 pp. 

Seems I can just book my own flights for the same amount of money and greater control of the process. 

I think the airfare portion of your cruise may be less. If you are comparing the O-Life Choice Fare ($4049) with the cruise only fare ($2749), take the difference ($1300), subtract the O-Life portion ($300 per person), and you are left with the (typical but not always) airfare cost of $1000 (includes transfers same day as cruise start/end).

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, AMHuntFerry said:

If you are not near one of O's major cities (can't remember the term they use), there is also a $99 charge each direction.

Air Gateways  

scroll down for the list of the included ones

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/air

 

[Hawaiidan]

It is worth repeating   you can take  part of the O air, like one way and do the other half yourself.   Mix and match

 

    Also, unless you have FF miles using O for one way trans pacific or Atlantic, O is best as one way's are the same as RT air fare.$$$$

 

When using O 's air and considering getting Prem Econ seats..   research on seats  ... type of aircraft and carrier.    There is no standard for these     Most of the time they are just coach seats  with a foot rest , 3-6 inches more leg room and about 15 degree recline.. They  can be 2-2-2    or 2-4-2.   All sorts of comb.   They are not lie flats.

While never say never,,   Never book business Class through O  you will pay more than going direct.     Speaking of which, if you  call your favorite airline and talk direct to an agent,  You might be able to  get business class  for just a few hundred $$ more than Prem econ... Also Prem econ seats are limited and even though O advertises them..  at your time of booking they might not be available when you want.

    In a few cases I have seen Business class on sale cost less than Prem Econ.   What you see displayed on web sites is  one thing...   and you might discover  the agent will offer you cheaper or  not listed fares.      

With the new "demand" pricing for both FF and $$ passengers prices can change daily as demand for that day increase.    There may be 3-4-5  or more fares  all different leaving the same day, same airport to the same place.   Because of this  the sooner you buy your ticket the less you will pay.   As an example, I boutht a ticket inDecember  for a RT to Europe for August.     I checked this week and the fare was $700 pp more.    So  be advised   Demand Pricing is very much alive.

Personally, I prefer booking my own   I find that altering from the fixed schedule and non gateways   can easily add over $1000 to  that included O air.   

  Do your math.  Know your intended airline and its seats...   Talk to O   AND Talk to the airlines yourself   Its work  but it will pay off for your current needs and  help you in the future.     It is a game....but your can win  but it takes work.    

 

 

Edited February 18, 2022 by Hawaiidan

[FlyerTalker]

1 hour ago, Hawaiidan said:

    Also, unless you have FF miles using O for one way trans pacific or Atlantic, O is best as one way's are the same as RT air fare.$$$$

 

Some carriers yes, some no.  Some routes yes, some no.

 

There's no blanket "one-ways vs round trip" statement anymore, as many airlines are pricing one-ways as half the round trip price.

 

FWIW, Air Canada has some excellent pricing for one-way premium economy across the Atlantic.  You can book through either the AC website or on United's.

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 hours ago, Hawaiidan said:

It is worth repeating   you can take  part of the O air, like one way and do the other half yourself.   Mix and match

 

    Also, unless you have FF miles using O for one way trans pacific or Atlantic, O is best as one way's are the same as RT air fare.$$$$

 

When using O 's air and considering getting Prem Econ seats..   research on seats  ... type of aircraft and carrier.    There is no standard for these     Most of the time they are just coach seats  with a foot rest , 3-6 inches more leg room and about 15 degree recline.. They  can be 2-2-2    or 2-4-2.   All sorts of comb.   They are not lie flats.

While never say never,,   Never book business Class through O  you will pay more than going direct.     Speaking of which, if you  call your favorite airline and talk direct to an agent,  You might be able to  get business class  for just a few hundred $$ more than Prem econ... Also Prem econ seats are limited and even though O advertises them..  at your time of booking they might not be available when you want.

    In a few cases I have seen Business class on sale cost less than Prem Econ.   What you see displayed on web sites is  one thing...   and you might discover  the agent will offer you cheaper or  not listed fares.      

With the new "demand" pricing for both FF and $$ passengers prices can change daily as demand for that day increase.    There may be 3-4-5  or more fares  all different leaving the same day, same airport to the same place.   Because of this  the sooner you buy your ticket the less you will pay.   As an example, I boutht a ticket inDecember  for a RT to Europe for August.     I checked this week and the fare was $700 pp more.    So  be advised   Demand Pricing is very much alive.

Personally, I prefer booking my own   I find that altering from the fixed schedule and non gateways   can easily add over $1000 to  that included O air.   

  Do your math.  Know your intended airline and its seats...   Talk to O   AND Talk to the airlines yourself   Its work  but it will pay off for your current needs and  help you in the future.     It is a game....but your can win  but it takes work.    

 

 

Things are changing/challenging with airfare all the time these days.

For example:

 

Yesterday, I booked United biz class for our Barcelona-Miami cruise later this year. When I entered the multi-city itinerary on ITA Matrix and then on United (SFO-BCN outbound in October and MIA-SFO return in December), average price fir a desirable itinerary was right about $9500/ticket on both websites! In addition, while ITA Matrix showed all United flight options, United’s website showed a selection of “recommended” itineraries (which it often does if you do not specify time spans in the date choices). From my research and past flight itineraries, I had a good idea of the best way to get to BCN with my criteria (including United Polaris for the long-haul) and at a reasonable price.

I then separated the outbound and inbound flights into two one-way tix: SFO-BCN via FRA with a 3 hr layover (incl LH Lounge access) outbound at $2600/ticket and return MIA-SFO at $1,000/ticket.

I had a somewhat similar experience with our upcoming cruise ARN-NYC in May-July. Not only did we end up opting for one way tix, which saved $ thousands, we booked with United on the phone for an even lower price (since the United and ITA websites didn’t include current time-limited Lufthansa connecting flight prices that the phone rep could see). BTW, if you ask nicely and/or can demonstrate that you couldn’t find the desired (and existing) routing, United will wave the phone booking fee. (And United generally treats its FFs well (including answering the phone in an often timely manner and bending a variety of booking rules on a case-by-case basis (though that may take longer while the agent checks with a supervisor or the revenue folks).

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

26 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Some carriers yes, some no.  Some routes yes, some no.

 

There's no blanket "one-ways vs round trip" statement anymore, as many airlines are pricing one-ways as half the round trip price.

 

FWIW, Air Canada has some excellent pricing for one-way premium economy across the Atlantic.  You can book through either the AC website or on United's.

I was typing my reply above about one way tIx when your reply posted. 
Bottom line (particularly with dynamic pricing (both tix and now points)) is “no more hard and fast strategies.” Rather, flexibility and homework is what works best.

[ronrick1943]

It’s always beat to check out both ways, “O” and on you own——pick what’s best for you.

[Hawaiidan]

1 hour ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

I was typing my reply above about one way tIx when your reply posted. 
Bottom line (particularly with dynamic pricing (both tix and now points)) is “no more hard and fast strategies.” Rather, flexibility and homework is what works best.

Things are changing  faster than I thought...  even after playing the game  since the 80's.... It is a challenge to keep up.    DYNAMIC price  is , well, a totally new and scary animal to deal with.

[qballer]

When we were stuck in South America on Marina when Covid hit, the Included airfare was well worth it. We were enroute to 3 different ports. People had lots problems attempting to book flights home. We finally ported in Miami 11 days later than our original final or Lima. Have used the included airfare about 5 times, works out about the same if I booked it myself. Oceania attempts to get fastest conections and allows you to upgrade(at your expense) after flight is confirmed. Again, do your home work and see what works best...

[FlyerTalker]

12 hours ago, Hawaiidan said:

Things are changing  faster than I thought...  even after playing the game  since the 80's.... It is a challenge to keep up.    DYNAMIC price  is , well, a totally new and scary animal to deal with.

 

An important fact to remember.  In most cases, but NOT ALL, you have 24 hours for a full refund cancellation on airline tickets from USA carriers.  And a number of foreign carriers as well.  (Note:  AA has a different policy).

 

Now, if you find something attractive, you can buy the ticket and continue your searching for other options.  Then cancel the first one.

 

NOTE:  This applies ONLY to tickets purchased directly from an airline.  Any bought through third parties, such as online travel agencies are not covered by this rule.

[FlyerTalker]

Also, before doing this strategy, check the actual rules for the airline and ticket.  All are available before hitting the final "purchase" button.

 

[sitraveler]

While I received a full refund from O for my canceled Tahiti cruise,  my United airfare was only given as a credit.  It is something to consider. 

[FlyerTalker]

9 hours ago, sitraveler said:

While I received a full refund from O for my canceled Tahiti cruise,  my United airfare was only given as a credit.  It is something to consider. 

 

If you are outside the 24 hour window, you will not receive a cash refund of your airline ticket that you buy from them.  Or, often bought through the cruiseline.  Closely read the T&C for cruiseline air and you will find that most often they are merely acting as an intermediary, with all tickets subject to the fare rules of the airline and the ticket itself.

 

To the airline, it doesn't matter WHY you cancelled.  Cruise cancelled, changed your mind - all the same.