Oceania Air program

[ak1004]

I think it was covered on numerous occasions, but I wanted to provide some info and examples about O air program, using the cruises we are currently booked. We booked air offerings by O and here are the results:

 

1. Cruise Miami to Miami:

Typical cost if purchased independently:

Economy - $300-400 CAD, Business - $800-900 CAD

Oceania asking:

Economy - $750 CAD, Business upgrade - $1,700 per direction, for a total of $4,150 CAD

 

2. Cruise Los Angeles to Los Angeles:

Typical cost if purchased independently:

Economy - $400-500 CAD, Business - $1,000-1,200 CAD

Oceania asking:

Economy - $500 CAD, Business upgrade - $2,000 per direction, for a total of $4,500 CAD.

 

Typical upgrade to business class to Europe is $2,500 CAD per direction. Just for comparison, we just booked a cruise on Silversea to Greece, and the upgrade to business class was $999 CAD per direction.

 

It's unfortunate that O has such poor air program. Especially for those of us who fly business, lines like Silversea might be actually a better value when you account for all inclusions and business flight. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

43 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

....Especially for those of us who fly business, lines like Silversea might be actually a better value when you account for all inclusions and business flight. 

But then you’d have to eat their food😉.

 

Seriously, as I often suggest, start with ITA Matrix search to get a ball park figure on air fares one way AND MultiCity or RT. Then, after searching the website of the airlines that interest you, ALWAYS call your short list airline(s) and have the rep check for better fares. You’d be surprised at how many options are not easily found on an airline website - even United (which has the clearly best airline website!).

[ak1004]

1 minute ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

But then you’d have to eat their food😉.

 

Seriously, as I often suggest, start with ITA Matrix search to get a ball park figure on air fares one way AND MultiCity or RT. Then, after searching the website of the airlines that interest you, ALWAYS call your short list airline(s) and have the rep check for better fares. You’d be surprised at how many options are not easily found on an airline website - even United (which has the clearly best airline website!).

 

Good advice. But my point was that even using a simple web search, O prices are more than double in some cases. Following your advice, the gap would be even bigger. SS offers prices for business that in some cases are lower than you can find on your own. Plus there is a convenience, and the flights include transfers from/to your house and to/from the port.

 

P.S. I'm a big fan of O and their food! But from what I read, SS food is also excellent (unlimited caviar, completely custom orders etc) Will be on SS in December, it will be interesting to compare. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

4 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

 

Good advice. But my point was that even using a simple web search, O prices are more than double in some cases. Following your advice, the gap would be even bigger. SS offers prices for business that in some cases are lower than you can find on your own. Plus there is a convenience, and the flights include transfers from/to your house and to/from the port.

 

P.S. I'm a big fan of O and their food! But from what I read, SS food is also excellent (unlimited caviar, completely custom orders etc) Will be on SS in December, it will be interesting to compare. 

The other consideration worth considering is that cruiseline contracted fares don’t always get FF points.

[ak1004]

4 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

The other consideration worth considering is that cruiseline contracted fares don’t always get FF points.

 

True. But at the end of the day, those points typically worth no more than 3-5% of the fare. In case of Oceania prices, the gap is just too big.

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, ak1004 said:

I think it was covered on numerous occasions, but I wanted to provide some info and examples about O air program, using the cruises we are currently booked. We booked air offerings by O and here are the results:

 

1. Cruise Miami to Miami:

Typical cost if purchased independently:

Economy - $300-400 CAD, Business - $800-900 CAD

Oceania asking:

Economy - $750 CAD, Business upgrade - $1,700 per direction, for a total of $4,150 CAD

 

 

I am not sure I understand  your air rates   ..are you taking the difference between cruise only & the with air rate to get the $750??

Oceania provides econ air  you can take the credit  & book your own

 NEVER book BUS class with O

Flying to USA ports  from Canada is usually not a good deal to use O if you are trying to compare booking your own against the air credit

JMO

 

PS don't fly AA  BUS to MIA  as much as I dislike Rouge  AA is worse  IMO

[tvmovielover]

I know Rouge is hated for reasons but I have 1 good thing that happened on Rouge through an O booking.  We took their premium economy upgrade.  On return from Europe, we went through Toronto on Rouge to Florida but since the Toronto-Florida leg was international, we got to stay in premium economy all the way home!  Do not know if it was much better than economy but it was comfortable and not crowded.  Not all our O flights were that good and self air is better the way things are set up now (after Olife started) but they are not all bad either for a simple flight from a major airport to a lot of western Europe.

[ak1004]

14 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

I am not sure I understand  your air rates   ..are you taking the difference between cruise only & the with air rate to get the $750??

Oceania provides econ air  you can take the credit  & book your own

 NEVER book BUS class with O

Flying to USA ports  from Canada is usually not a good deal to use O if you are trying to compare booking your own against the air credit

JMO

 

PS don't fly AA  BUS to MIA  as much as I dislike Rouge  AA is worse  IMO

 

The $750 was calculated the following way: the difference between cruise only and oLife less the Shipboard  credit per person in CAD.

 

 

In this case: the difference between cruise only and olife is $1,150, which includes economy air and shipboard credit. Shipboard credit is $300 USD or around $400 CAD per person, so we are left with $750 CAD for air.

 

Thanks for AA tip.

[PhD-iva]

Rouge? Never heard of this……airline?????

[LHT28]

16 minutes ago, PhD-iva said:

Rouge? Never heard of this……airline?????

https://flyrouge.com/ca/en/index.html

 

Part of Air Canada family

 I only fly in the Premium Rouge if I have to use them much like BIZ on A/C

At least you get access to the lounge

[ChadnKate]

We did use Oceania's air 11 years ago on our first cruise with them. Upgraded to business but found it angled (not lie flat) and terrible. Became a big devotee of CC points and miles. We now take the no-air discount and 10 cruises later have done our own air, lie-flat when crossing long distances. Always using rewards flights. Couple of prerequisites: always book the cruise  more than a year in advance. Try to plan first and book onboard. Get better price, an OBC and can do your flights research to be ready when the flights come online, usually about 330 days in advance. We always charge just about everything on our CCs, particularly an AmEx and Chase card, paying them off promptly. We average about 3 points per dollar on all purchases. Overtime this adds up to enough to book great trips. For American Airlines that is not an easy transfer partner (like United, BA, Delta etc. are) we take the Oceania discount and wait for AA's semi-annual mileage sales and buy as many miles as possible. Every feee years a new CC offer occurs with a big signup bonus so we do that too. 

No what you want and be in control! Being retired also helps with scheduling.

[Flatbush Flyer]

4 minutes ago, ChadnKate said:

We did use Oceania's air 11 years ago on our first cruise with them. Upgraded to business but found it angled (not lie flat) and terrible. Became a big devotee of CC points and miles. We now take the no-air discount and 10 cruises later have done our own air, lie-flat when crossing long distances. Always using rewards flights. Couple of prerequisites: always book the cruise  more than a year in advance. Try to plan first and book onboard. Get better price, an OBC and can do your flights research to be ready when the flights come online, usually about 330 days in advance. We always charge just about everything on our CCs, particularly an AmEx and Chase card, paying them off promptly. We average about 3 points per dollar on all purchases. Overtime this adds up to enough to book great trips. For American Airlines that is not an easy transfer partner (like United, BA, Delta etc. are) we take the Oceania discount and wait for AA's semi-annual mileage sales and buy as many miles as possible. Every feee years a new CC offer occurs with a big signup bonus so we do that too. 

No what you want and be in control! Being retired also helps with scheduling.

Sadly, that was then and this is now. I agree with your points accumulation strategy. However, the new issue is that many airlines are now doing “dynamic pricing” for FF points tix (just like regular fares). Today’s 150k pts RT ticket to Timbuktu can be 300k tomorrow and something totally different a week from now.

Personally, I’m doing my best to unload my points over several biz class intercontinental long hauls in the next 2 years.

[PhD-iva]

One strategy I’m trying for next year, which admittedly costs more money. I’m booking O’s lay-flat bed on a TA to get over to Europe! 🤪

[basor]

57 minutes ago, PhD-iva said:

One strategy I’m trying for next year, which admittedly costs more money. I’m booking O’s lay-flat bed on a TA to get over to Europe! 🤪

We used this same strategy last November on Marina to get back from Europe and definitely worth the extra $$$$ 😍

[ChadnKate]

Your TA journey will have MUCH BETTER food, and the lay-flat bed will be, to coin a phrase, heavenly! We're on the Vista TA next year.

Yes there is dynamic pricing but still far better than cash. For our Buenos Aries to Miami AA lie flat seats next January the cash price is $5,000. On AA's sale, I used my last Oceania no-air discount to buy miles for half that. Direct flight. Great way to return from the 31 day Marina cruise to BA from Miami! And we get Christmas on the Amazon.

[Robjame]

As I mentioned on another thread, the Oceania air refund for coach 2 flights, Toronto - Miami return was over $1500CAD.  This is twice what these flights can be purchased for. Throw in the deviation fees to arrive before cruise day and/or fees to get a direct flight - - -  completely unreasonable plus we prefer Uber to O transfers.

 

Having said all that, you should book an Oceania cruise with air and then make your own air arrangements. O air can be cancelled all the way up to final payment with no obligation or cost - a very reasonable (free) insurance.

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, Robjame said:

As I mentioned on another thread, the Oceania air refund for coach 2 flights, Toronto - Miami return was over $1500CAD. 

 

WOW

 The most we  have gotten for an air credit on YYZ to MIA r/t  is $400 pp

That is some air credit  you got

[oskidunker]

Tried to use air for business from sfo to lrh. They wanted me to fly Turkish airlines with a stop and a 17 hour flight. Not doing that. The said united sold out. The flight i wanted had only 2 seats booked in business. Cruise is Oct1. Seems like I can do much better booking myself. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

3 hours ago, oskidunker said:

Tried to use air for business from sfo to lrh. They wanted me to fly Turkish airlines with a stop and a 17 hour flight. Not doing that. The said united sold out. The flight i wanted had only 2 seats booked in business. Cruise is Oct1. Seems like I can do much better booking myself. 

Plus that bizclass price from O is usually on top of the original coach tix you purchased with your cruise fare. Though someone here on CC mentioned getting a credit for the original tix, it’s thr first I’ve ever heard of that. The several times over the years I looked at O’s bizclass, their air dept. folks even said “don’t do it” because you’re still paying for the coach fare too.

[Ride-The-Waves]

Add in the crazy, and expensive, pricing for ships tours and one must begin to question "why O?"

 

We have an early winter O cruise booked and recently added, direct with the airline, across the Pond flights.  MUCH less expensive.  Currently trying to figure out tours at ports stops.  VERY confusing and appears to be expensive.  

 

I don't understand this apparent dislike of their passengers.  Ostensibly, this makes them more more as the confuse and take advantage of booked guests.

[oskidunker]

The inability to talk to someone in the air dept is probably deal breaker. I have never used cruiseline air and now I doubt I ever will. Must be for people who dont want to do the work.

[LHT28]

10 hours ago, oskidunker said:

Tried to use air for business from sfo to lrh. They wanted me to fly Turkish airlines with a stop and a 17 hour flight. Not doing that. The said united sold out. The flight i wanted had only 2 seats booked in business. Cruise is Oct1. Seems like I can do much better booking myself. 

if you want BIZ class  just book it yourself

probably a lot cheaper than O charges

JMO

[LHT28]

31 minutes ago, oskidunker said:

The inability to talk to someone in the air dept is probably deal breaker. I have never used cruiseline air and now I doubt I ever will. Must be for people who dont want to do the work.

Are you using a TA?

If so ask for a 3 way call with the air dept the ta & yourself

 

I usually tell my TA what flights I want  she looks after it for me

 

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 hours ago, Ride-The-Waves said:

Add in the crazy, and expensive, pricing for ships tours and one must begin to question "why O?"

 

We have an early winter O cruise booked and recently added, direct with the airline, across the Pond flights.  MUCH less expensive.  Currently trying to figure out tours at ports stops.  VERY confusing and appears to be expensive.  

 

I don't understand this apparent dislike of their passengers.  Ostensibly, this makes them more more as the confuse and take advantage of booked guests.

As aforementioned,

1) Take the O Life tours option and pick the ones you like that are closest to the $199/tour limit to fill your allowance.
2) Find the minimum number of tours required for YWYW 25% off on non-O Life tours (it’s on page one of the Shore Excursions PDF that comes with your O invoice (and in your O web account shopping for that cruise)). Note that the O Life tours you pick count against that YWYW minimum.

3) Pick the paid tours (>$199, OE/OS) you want - enough to meet the rest of the YWYW minimum - and they’ll be charged at 25% off.

4) Add the purchase tours (e.g., OS/OE) to the “Cart” along with tour O Life tours. Click YWYW in Cart for each person.

5) Disregard list prices in right column. Instead, look only at bottom line cost, which will also show the net cost to you after applying available O SBC toward payment. (Remember to check YWYW button for each person)

6) Compare that bottom line net price to your independent math as a doublecheck.

7) Click the payment button OR call O and have the rep fulfill the order. You’ll get an email listing your booked tours.

 

NOTE: I prefer using my trusted O phone rep (rather than my TA) for O tours  for a variety of reasons, one of them being that the Cart operation usually doesn’t allow you to pick two different tours on a single day. O allows it if the tours are separated by, at least 75 (or 90?) minutes. But, you’ll have to call them. Also, doing it over the phone allows you to request the “Prepurchased shore excursions” PDF that shows all the math.

 

For a more in-depth explanation, search here on  CC through my numerous posts on O Life strategy.

[oskidunker]

6 hours ago, LHT28 said:

Are you using a TA?

If so ask for a 3 way call with the air dept the ta & yourself

 

I usually tell my TA what flights I want  she looks after it for me

 

 

Ta says no longer phone option. Have been using her for 25 years and gotten great service. The air dept is a money maker for Oceana, not a deal.