help -- advice on air deviation

[meow!]

We have started to look at air deviation, for our Venice to Athens voyage this coming October. To start with, for those of you who do not request any deviation, and take whatever flights Oceania assigns you, do you still have to pay for air taxes, airport fees and air fuel surcharges, etc., on top of your supposedly "air included" cruise fares?

 

We now have one of three options:

 

(1) Just sit and let Oceania assign whatever they will give us, possibly on "group fare rates", and I don't know how much they will charge for the extra costs mentioned above.

 

(2) We called Oceania, and priced out our air deviation, arriving three days early pre-cruise and leaving five days late post-cruise, and that will be $75 per person deviation (handling) fee. On top of that, to let us fly on the airline and particular flights we have chosen, there is the deviation differential fee (additional flight cost) of $400 per person. They said it included all air taxes, airport fees and air fuel surcharges, etc., within the $400.

 

(3) We can take their $500 air credit and arrange flights on our own. Our calculation shows that going this route will cost a further $500 per person compared to option (2) above, particularly since we live on the west coast.

 

Oceania claims that they cannot tell us the flights for option (1) until 75 days before embarkation, i.e. end of July in our case. So should we wait another six weeks to find out what option (1) will be like, or should we take option (2) now?

 

By the way, option (2) will allow us to start our return flight from Geneva instead of Athens, while option (1) will not. Option (3) gives all the freedom, for $500 per person more. Any advice? Thank you.

[Sharicruz]

We have started to look at air deviation, for our Venice to Athens voyage this coming October. To start with, for those of you who do not request any deviation, and take whatever flights Oceania assigns you, do you still have to pay for air taxes, airport fees and air fuel surcharges, etc., on top of your supposedly "air included" cruise fares?

 

Is the air on your invoice? If so the air related taxes should be on there. Whether you deviate or not, if you choose to take Oceania's air, you will pay the air related taxes, fuel surcharges and ticketing fee.

 

We now have one of three options:

 

(1) Just sit and let Oceania assign whatever they will give us, possibly on "group fare rates", and I don't know how much they will charge for the extra costs mentioned above.

 

Those costs should be on your invoice.

 

(2) We called Oceania, and priced out our air deviation, arriving three days early pre-cruise and leaving five days late post-cruise, and that will be $75 per person deviation (handling) fee. On top of that, to let us fly on the airline and particular flights we have chosen, there is the deviation differential fee (additional flight cost) of $400 per person. They said it included all air taxes, airport fees and air fuel surcharges, etc., within the $400.

 

The $400.00 per person is the air differential. Taxes are not included in that amount. The $75.00 per person air deviation fee is non-refundable.

 

 

(3) We can take their $500 air credit and arrange flights on our own. Our calculation shows that going this route will cost a further $500 per person compared to option (2) above, particularly since we live on the west coast.

 

If you take the air credit, the air related taxes will be removed from your invoice.

 

Oceania claims that they cannot tell us the flights for option (1) until 75 days before embarkation, i.e. end of July in our case. So should we wait another six weeks to find out what option (1) will be like, or should we take option (2) now?

 

If you choose not to deviate, and let Oceania take care of your air schedule, the air itineraries are taken care of 75 days prior to sailing.

 

Shari

*****

CCC Member

[meow!]

Thank you kindly for your quick and informative reply. Our invoice, as is, before deviations, shows $389 air taxes, surcharge and ticketing fee. Are you saying that the $400 they mentioned for deviation differential is in addition to the $389, making it $789? If that is the case, together with the $500 air rebate if we buy our own ticket, then that ticket, i.e. option (3) will have to cost more than $1289 to make Oceania's "deviated ticket", i.e. option (2) worthwhile. Or, if option (3) costs $1,400, then we only save $100+ per person with option (2)?

 

On the other hand, if the deviation differential $400 includes the $389 already on the existing invoice, then option (2) will be really worthwhile, saving $500 per person! Which version do you mean? Thank you again.

[Sharicruz]

Thank you kindly for your quick and informative reply. Our invoice, as is, before deviations, shows $389 air taxes, surcharge and ticketing fee. Are you saying that the $400 they mentioned for deviation differential is in addition to the $389, making it $789? If that is the case, together with the $500 air rebate if we buy our own ticket, then that ticket, i.e. option (3) will have to cost more than $1289 to make Oceania's "deviated ticket", i.e. option (2) worthwhile. Or, if option (3) costs $1,400, then we only save $100+ per person with option (2)?

 

On the other hand, if the deviation differential $400 includes the $389 already on the existing invoice, then option (2) will be really worthwhile, saving $500 per person! Which version do you mean? Thank you again.

 

The $400.00 per person air differential fee is in addition to the taxes..

 

Shari

*****

CCC Member

[meow!]

Thank you, at least now we know.

[Bruin Steve]

What Oceania's Deviation desk gives you is the amount you have to pay IN ADDITION to whatever is on your invoice...

 

The advertised fares are a bit misleading...that is only the BASE FARE...taxes and fees are in addition to that...that is what is shown on your invoice...

 

For us, typically, the straight "regular deal" (#1) is never an option...because we never want to just fly in (especially to Europe from the West Coast) the SAME day as the cruise starts...

 

So, the question is whether to 1) Take Oceania's hotel package and whatever flights they put us on, 2) Get a deviation and book our own hotels or 3) take the "credit" and book our own flights...

 

#1 there is never an option either...because Oceania's hotel packages are typically way overpriced (If they were close, it would be a viable option since there would be no deviation fees and no added flight costs--but they'd have to fly you in ahead to get you to the hotel...

 

So, for us, last time...and likely again next July...it will be a case of whether the TOTAL price booking our own is more or less than the TOTAL of Oceania's "credit", air fees and taxes, deviation fee AND extra flight cost...

 

Last Oceania cruise, it was REALLY close, but, even with the added fees, we were about $100 per peron ahead going through Oceania with the deviation charges...BUT, rather than choosing our precise flights, we let Oceania find them--we just gave them the dates...The flights they found us were exccellent...and the deviation fees plus added charges only came out to $200 per person...

 

I think it's a different adventure every time...

[meow!]

What you say is true, and for those from outside the U.S. complaining about their not having access to the benefits of "included air", perhaps they can take comfort that they are not losing out by that much, perhaps just a few hundred dollars.

 

Oceania, being often full, (despite the nearly perpetual 2 for 1 which is more like a sales slogan), does not give really deep last minute discounts like some other cruise lines, Celebrity for example. Also, it seems that for business class air, some cruise lines can give what is tantamount to free round trip upgrade (see our posting http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=785601) on rare occasions, but for basic economy air, no cruise line appears able to give much lower prices.

 

So the logical choice seems to be to buy the air deviation from Oceania, and save just several hundered dollars, which is better than nothing! Is Oceania's deviation differential upcharge subject to bargaining?

[Sharicruz]

Is Oceania's deviation differential upcharge subject to bargaining?

 

 

No, it isn't~

 

Shari

*****

CCC Member

[Sharicruz]

Sorry... Duplicate Post

 

Shari

*****

CCC Member

[potterhill]

If you don't want to pay the $400, you can request another set of flights until you get one you do like. Of course you then lose the one they have offered you and you risk not being able to get it back.....On our last cruise we did this and ended up with the same flights for no additional charge.

 

Flying out of Canada, it is ALWAYS cheaper to go with Oceania Air, at least in our experience.

 

Mo

[leonardray]

We took Oceania air for our cruise from Athens on 11/1/08, which will be one way. We picked the airline (Delta) from Tampa to Athens and the date Oct. 28th, and the flights we wanted. It cost us $75 for the deviation and $l50 for the taxes, fuel charge Etc. The only problem was we couldn't upgrade as the price was prohibitive. We are very happy with the flight and much cheaper then we could have done it on our own. I also picked the seats that I wanted. This was done 180 days out.

[hondorner]

Lets see if I can sum all this up, using your specific numbers. Remember, those will vary considerably from cruise to cruise, depending on your home airport, your destination, etc.

 

Your air credit is $500 per person. This is the amount of the air fare that is "free" (built into the cruise fare) from Oceania.

 

Your invoiced air taxes and surcharges amount to $389 per person. This is the portion of the air fare that you pay yourself, in addition to the cruise fare.

 

Thus, the total that you will be expending for flights arranged by Oceania, arriving the day of the cruise, is $889 per person.

 

If you choose to deviate from that arrival time and place, you will pay Oceania a $75 per person administrative fee for the extra amount of time they will use to arrange different flights. Your total cost is now $964 per person.

 

Oceania will handle your deviation in one of two ways. Either you will do research and tell them which flights you want to take, or you can let them determine which flights they would like to use to meet your desired arrival time and place (deviations can be applied to flights home, as well, for no additional administrative fee).

 

Based on the reported experience of many of the forum members, it's better to take the second option above, to let Oceania determine what flights and what airlines they will use to meet your deviation schedule. Almost everyone has reported that they managed to schedule the best available flights at the least additional cost to you. In my case, since I was flying out of and returning to a major East Coast gateway airport (Miami), there were no additional charges beyond the $75 fee, and they booked the absolute best combination of flights that existed. Especially on deviations, they make a real effort to put it together.

 

In your case, they have come up with flights that cost an extra $400 per person to meet your schedule. That raises the total amount in your airfare bucket to $1,364 per person.

 

Now, it gets interesting. You can try to find your own flights within that amount. If you do, and whatever savings are significant enough to be attractive to you, you can ask Oceania for the air credit, and book your own flights.

 

If you do this, you (in your specific case, always remembering that each person's numbers will be different), will receive a $500 per person credit for the "free" air, the $389 air taxes and surcharges will be wiped off your invoice, the $400 additional air fare will not be charged to your invoice. Whether or not you get the $75 credit wiped off your invoice depends on whether you made an official request for a deviation. If so, it is not refundable, so the total amount in your airfare bucket drops to $1,289 per person -- if you book your own flights, they will cost whatever they cost plus the $75 you have to pay Oceania.

 

We have come up with a simple formula. We will always request a deviation, because we like to arrive early, and because we like to know our flights way ahead of time. And, we will always let Oceania find the flights, at least until we get burned. We will never try to book on our own -- it is too much work, and the responsibility shifts from the cruise line to yourself.

[meow!]

Thank you kindly for your detailed, well composed explanation. There is one extra factor in our case, and that is we want to go from Athens (disembarkation) to Geneva for a few days before coming home (we will buy that "leg" air tickets ourselves). In our case, if we just ask for date deviation and let Oceania select our flights, will it result in less than $400 "differential charges"? Perhaps we should ask Oceania?

 

P.S. As Geneva is closer to U.S., won't it be cheaper?

[hondorner]

What I can tell you is this -- everything I know about the Oceania air program, I learned from my travel agent. This is despite the fact that the agency I use is not really a full service travel agent -- for example, if I want to book the air outside Oceania, they will not do it. However, within their limits of cruise line bookings on certain, specific, limited, cruise lines, they are absolute experts and know every "in", "out", "zig" and "zag" of Oceania and several other upscale cruise lines.

 

Under the forum rules, I cannot tell you who my travel agent is, but I can tell you that you have already gotten some excellent advice from one of their associates. I use a different associate, one closer to my home in Florida, but all of them are fantastic. If you are not using such an agent, I believe your task will be harder -- but that's just my opinion, worth what you paid for it.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Thank you kindly for your detailed, well composed explanation. There is one extra factor in our case, and that is we want to go from Athens (disembarkation) to Geneva for a few days before coming home (we will buy that "leg" air tickets ourselves). In our case, if we just ask for date deviation and let Oceania select our flights, will it result in less than $400 "differential charges"? Perhaps we should ask Oceania?

 

P.S. As Geneva is closer to U.S., won't it be cheaper?

 

Wow, I perked up when you mentioned this, because I'm a Regent cruiser looking at Oceania for 2010. Regent won't do that type of deviation at all--we've tried, but been told that the arrival/departure airports must be the same as the ones that would normally be used if booking air with Regent. So, interested in hearing the answer.

[LHT28]

Thank you kindly for your detailed, well composed explanation. There is one extra factor in our case, and that is we want to go from Athens (disembarkation) to Geneva for a few days before coming home (we will buy that "leg" air tickets ourselves). In our case, if we just ask for date deviation and let Oceania select our flights, will it result in less than $400 "differential charges"? Perhaps we should ask Oceania?

 

P.S. As Geneva is closer to U.S., won't it be cheaper?

I do not think O will give you flights from Geneva only the disembarkation port but it never hurts to ask:D

Geneva may not be cheaper it is the law of demand...how many flights go to Geneva VS Athens etcc

[LHT28]

I usually take the price of the air credit + the taxes + $75. air deviation fee.

If I can get airfare cheaper than the total then I book my own ......if not then I just drive my TA crazy with possibilities.;)

[Jancruz]

Thank you kindly for your detailed, well composed explanation. There is one extra factor in our case, and that is we want to go from Athens (disembarkation) to Geneva for a few days before coming home (we will buy that "leg" air tickets ourselves). In our case, if we just ask for date deviation and let Oceania select our flights, will it result in less than $400 "differential charges"? Perhaps we should ask Oceania?

 

P.S. As Geneva is closer to U.S., won't it be cheaper?

 

Meow..perhaps you should check with your travel agent also..

Jancruz1

[Jancruz]

Wow, I perked up when you mentioned this, because I'm a Regent cruiser looking at Oceania for 2010. Regent won't do that type of deviation at all--we've tried, but been told that the arrival/departure airports must be the same as the ones that would normally be used if booking air with Regent. So, interested in hearing the answer.

 

Wendy, There will be many changes on Regent in the future..this may be one!

Jancruz1

[Wendy The Wanderer]

So Jan, are you confirming that Oceania does allow this type of deviation? That would definitely be an incentive. Flying from Canada we have always chosen cruise air, since it's always been the most cost-effective with open-jaw fares what they are. But having the additional to fly home from a different city would be great.

 

But I sure hope Regent doesn't change it's air package to match Oceania--they do much better, only charging the deviation fee, no extra flight charges, and all taxes included in the "included air".

[Jancruz]

So Jan, are you confirming that Oceania does allow this type of deviation? That would definitely be an incentive. Flying from Canada we have always chosen cruise air, since it's always been the most cost-effective with open-jaw fares what they are. But having the additional to fly home from a different city would be great.

 

But I sure hope Regent doesn't change it's air package to match Oceania--they do much better, only charging the deviation fee, no extra flight charges, and all taxes included in the "included air".

 

No, I am not confirming this..I am telling you Regent is making many changes and this MAY be one..(for future reference)

Im sure Shari will let you know tomorrow about Oceania!

Jancruz1

[meow!]

Between Lufthansa and KLM, economy class, which is more comfortable and which will you folks prefer? Thank you.

[Sharicruz]

Wendy,

 

Oceania does do this type of deviation. In Meow's case, they cannot fly them from Athens to Geneva(that is why they are taking care of it on their own), however they can fly out of Geneva, back to the US.

 

You can only request those type of deviations in cities where Oceania has air contracts.

 

Shari

*****

CCC Member

[orchestrapal]

It has been our experience that Lufthansa beats KLM hands down.

We have not flown economy for years, however the comparison up front

puts Lufthansa at 10 out of 10 and KLM a poor 5 out of 10.:)

[potterhill]

I have not flown Lufthansa, but will never fly KLM again if I can help it.

 

Mo