Oceania Air

[Cruisedreamer1]

We selected our own air rather than taking Oceania'  air package. As fate would have it, on March 18th, Southwest cancelled our flight due to bad weather. If we had taken Oceania's air package would they have done anything for us besides rebooking another flight? We were forced to stay over night in MIami at a crummy high priced hotel due to the weekend and spring break. Please advise us.

[LHT28]

If flights from your airport were cancelled  I doubt they could do much   but to book you on the next available flight 

Did you miss your cruise?

 

 

We usually fly in at least 1 day early but in the winter  it is always a worry if flights will be cancelled

[Flatbush Flyer]

3 hours ago, Cruisedreamer1 said:

We selected our own air rather than taking Oceania'  air package. As fate would have it, on March 18th, Southwest cancelled our flight due to bad weather. If we had taken Oceania's air package would they have done anything for us besides rebooking another flight? We were forced to stay over night in MIami at a crummy high priced hotel due to the weekend and spring break. Please advise us.

Read your T&Cs and Ticket Contract. As regards O air, all O does is act as a travel agent  that sells air and rebooks problems. The air department has little to do with ship operations. So, unless it’s an O charter (as is sometimes the case with PPT from LAX), the ship doesn’t wait for late arrivals, pay for accommodations for interrupted/cancelled flights, etc. Any considerations related to air issues are the bailiwick of the air carrier.

 

BTW: when weather delays negatively impact your connections and require a next day rebooking, ask the airline’s gate agent for a hotel voucher, which, depending on circumstances, can vary from 50 to 100% discount at a nearby major chain property. (FWIW, not uncommon at major hubs like ORD).

Edited March 21, 2022 by Flatbush Flyer

[ORV]

12 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

BTW: when weather delays negatively impact your connections and require a next day rebooking, ask the airline’s gate agent for a hotel voucher, which, depending on circumstances, can vary from 50 to 100% discount at a nearby major chain property. (FWIW, not uncommon at major hubs like OR

That would be nice but I was under the impression that airlines have no obligation to you if a delay or cancellation is weather related. On the other hand if it's mechanical or operational on their part they're on the hook. Perhaps I've missed that somewhere, or is it a goodwill gesture? 

[pinotlover]

4 hours ago, ORV said:

That would be nice but I was under the impression that airlines have no obligation to you if a delay or cancellation is weather related. On the other hand if it's mechanical or operational on their part they're on the hook. Perhaps I've missed that somewhere, or is it a goodwill gesture? 

A hotel voucher is now the least of one’s concerns. With current policy, if one missed Embarkment at the first port, they can’t board at a later port. Weather or mechanical, it doesn’t matter. Until Oceania reverses this policy, flying in the day of Embarkment adds an extra layer of risk that is avoidable.

 

We have been on multiple cruises where we’ve seen people boarding on day 2 or 3 because of a variety of flight issues. That will presently not occur .

Edited March 21, 2022 by pinotlover

[ORV]

Yeah, but going home is another story. 

[Cruisedreamer1]

Fortunately, our flight delay was after our cruise. We did fly in a day early to avoid any issues like we encountered on our return flight. I wonder what is the advantage of booking through a cruise your airfare if they will not assist you beyond rebooking a new flight?

[ORV]

18 hours ago, Cruisedreamer1 said:

Fortunately, our flight delay was after our cruise. We did fly in a day early to avoid any issues like we encountered on our return flight. I wonder what is the advantage of booking through a cruise your airfare if they will not assist you beyond rebooking a new flight?

What is it you would expect them to do? 

[ronrick1943]

On 3/22/2022 at 2:45 PM, Cruisedreamer1 said:

Fortunately, our flight delay was after our cruise. We did fly in a day early to avoid any issues like we encountered on our return flight. I wonder what is the advantage of booking through a cruise your airfare if they will not assist you beyond rebooking a new flight?

When it’s weather they can’t do much for you expect rebook.  Since it’s weather that Voucher is only a courtesy which doesn’t cost the airline anything—hotels are working with airlines to fill rooms they have unhooked.

[Mura]

In the early days of Oceania I discovered a high school acquaintance who was on our cruise.  They had used O's air from L.A. to -- well, Europe.  I think the departure port may have been Dover since we initially headed up to Norway.  Anyway, there were weather problems and they were MOST frustrated because they had no help from O in getting a new flight.

 

They ended up arriving in Oslo rather than Dover.  (Yes, as I recall they had planned on leaving the U.S. in time to arrive the next day at the port which was probably their first mistake.)

 

She and her husband were recovering alcoholics so they didn't appreciate the champagne that Oceania offered as an apology.  But when they couldn't use the champagne, Oceania wouldn't give them something non-alcoholic.

 

As I said, this was many years ago and I like to think that Oceania would handled their problem differently today.

 

 

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

On 3/22/2022 at 2:45 PM, Cruisedreamer1 said:

Fortunately, our flight delay was after our cruise. We did fly in a day early to avoid any issues like we encountered on our return flight. I wonder what is the advantage of booking through a cruise your airfare if they will not assist you beyond rebooking a new flight?

Perceived “convenience” and “discount” plus erroneous belief that the ship will wait for them.

[ProvTraveler]

On 3/24/2022 at 9:14 AM, Flatbush Flyer said:

Perceived “convenience” and “discount” plus erroneous belief that the ship will wait for them.

You know, these three things are *exactly* what our O agent promised us. Hmmm. Now re-considering booking air and pre/post hotels through O (hotels sooooo $$$$!). I was kind of entranced with the idea of not having to arrange all the transfers. We are very experienced travelers but new to cruising. Back to the drawing board! 

[LHT28]

4 minutes ago, ProvTraveler said:

You know, these three things are *exactly* what our O agent promised us. Hmmm. Now re-considering booking air and pre/post hotels through O (hotels sooooo $$$$!). I was kind of entranced with the idea of not having to arrange all the transfers. We are very experienced travelers but new to cruising. Back to the drawing board! 

Depends on where you are sailing from but usually  the taxis are a lot cheaper   to get to the ship that the transfer   not to mention hotels  unless you need to stay in a 5* hotel there are nice hotels  in the port cities  less expensive that the O packages

 Do you homework  it is worth the effort

JMO

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

Depends on where you are sailing from but usually  the taxis are a lot cheaper   to get to the ship that the transfer   not to mention hotels  unless you need to stay in a 5* hotel there are nice hotels  in the port cities  less expensive that the O packages

 Do you homework  it is worth the effort

JMO

Actually, you can stay at the same hotel as O uses and pay far less. O charges about the same room price you can find on your own. The big difference is that the hotel direct rate is per room while that similar O hotel rate is per person.

[janecambridge]

We have air, transfers and hotel through Oceania but will do our own transfers and hotel eventually. 
We have BA flight, business class from Rio de Janeiro to Heathrow and cannot book our seats until 60 days before flight. Something to do with ticketing?? The seats are very expensive and we could end up sitting rows apart. Is this the norm? We have a Virgin flight to Miami and have chosen our seats already!! 

[PhD-iva]

I’ve taken 1 transfer from the O hotel in Copenhagen to the ship. Mega bus full of pax. At port we all wanted to board simultaneously. Long lines. Will avoid in future, depending…..

[AKWH]

37 minutes ago, janecambridge said:

We have air, transfers and hotel through Oceania but will do our own transfers and hotel eventually. 
We have BA flight, business class from Rio de Janeiro to Heathrow and cannot book our seats until 60 days before flight. Something to do with ticketing?? The seats are very expensive and we could end up sitting rows apart. Is this the norm? We have a Virgin flight to Miami and have chosen our seats already!! 

BA does seem to have strict seat assignment rules. I just glanced over them as I am only flying because that is what O booked us. We are flying premium economy, and our seats were either already assigned or I picked them as soon as O sent flight info. While not much over 60 days, it was definitely earlier than 60. I made seat changes in the BA app after checking the aircraft on Flight Guru. I do not think the “better” seats were available for the European leg until 21 days, and I was able to move up about 10 rows earlier this month. Business may or may not be different than PE in that way. 

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, janecambridge said:

We have air, transfers and hotel through Oceania but will do our own transfers and hotel eventually. 
We have BA flight, business class from Rio de Janeiro to Heathrow and cannot book our seats until 60 days before flight. Something to do with ticketing?? The seats are very expensive and we could end up sitting rows apart. Is this the norm? We have a Virgin flight to Miami and have chosen our seats already!! 

Once you are paid in full ask O to ticket you then you can book your seats

 

[DrivesLikeMario]

4 hours ago, janecambridge said:

We have air, transfers and hotel through Oceania but will do our own transfers and hotel eventually. 
We have BA flight, business class from Rio de Janeiro to Heathrow and cannot book our seats until 60 days before flight. Something to do with ticketing?? The seats are very expensive and we could end up sitting rows apart. Is this the norm? We have a Virgin flight to Miami and have chosen our seats already!! 

The airline has to "ticket" (pay for) your air which they usually don't do until about 45 days prior IME (O could be earlier).  Once that is done, you can purchase assigned seats with BA.  Expect to pay a lot.  We paid $440 extra for our bus. class seats on just the trans-Atlantic portion.  If you have status with them, you can avoid those fees.  Worst-case scenario, you wait until 24 hrs. prior to your first flight and get free seats with them but be prepared to do the same again for your flights home 24 hrs. before they leave.

 

[janecambridge]

We have a price sorted  for  the seats.As it’s December 18th, we can’t hang around hoping for upgrades or bids to upgrade. It’s going to be a busy and probably full flight. 

Thanks LHT28 for the tip.  

[Flatbush Flyer]

5 hours ago, DrivesLikeMario said:

The airline has to "ticket" (pay for) your air which they usually don't do until about 45 days prior IME (O could be earlier).  Once that is done, you can purchase assigned seats with BA.  Expect to pay a lot.  We paid $440 extra for our bus. class seats on just the trans-Atlantic portion.  If you have status with them, you can avoid those fees.  Worst-case scenario, you wait until 24 hrs. prior to your first flight and get free seats with them but be prepared to do the same again for your flights home 24 hrs. before they leave.

 

You’d have to be very high in the pecking order to get a free bizclass upgrade (on any major airline) in the several days preceding a flight. And, if you don’t get lucky, the cost of that upgrade could be more expensive than it would’ve been months prior (with either $ or FF points.

[davencl]

18 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Actually, you can stay at the same hotel as O uses and pay far less. O charges about the same room price you can find on your own. The big difference is that the hotel direct rate is per room while that similar O hotel rate is per person.

Yes I discovered that on our Norway cruise this August.  Originally booked the O hotel.  Then checked the same hotel for a direct reservation.  Saved hundreds of dollars... 

[DrivesLikeMario]

4 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

You’d have to be very high in the pecking order to get a free bizclass upgrade (on any major airline) in the several days preceding a flight. And, if you don’t get lucky, the cost of that upgrade could be more expensive than it would’ve been months prior (with either $ or FF points.

 

Who said anything about a free Bus. Class upgrade?  I sure didn't.  We always pay for ours.  Or were you adding to what I wrote about "ticketing"?

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 minutes ago, DrivesLikeMario said:

 

Who said anything about a free Bus. Class upgrade?  I sure didn't.  We always pay for ours.  Or were you adding to what I wrote about "ticketing"?

Your post: “Worst-case scenario, you wait until 24 hrs. prior to your first flight and get free seats with them.”

Even if only a “premium plus” upgrade, “free” usually is limited to available seats and there is a pecking order of who gets them.

[DrivesLikeMario]

I see what you’re saying.  I wasn’t talking about upgrading seats, just getting them in the class of service the OP paid for originally.