air arrangements

[Dianneon2]

For those cruisers experienced with Oceania, have you found their air arrangements to be reasonably convenient or is it better to make your own arrangements, both financially and practically. We're trying to decide whether to accept the air offer or go it alone. All input welcome.

[Druke I]

We've used Oceania's air for three different cruises, and found them to be no better nor worse than any other cruise line's offerings..

 

All of our Oceania cruises have required open-jaw flights, and cruise lines' ticket costs for open-jaw are often lower than we can find on our own.

[riversidecruiser]

I haven't used other cruise line flights, but when I compared the flight credit Oceania was giving to the amount I would pay for flights, there was quite a difference. I went with the Oceania flights, and paid a total of $400 extra (for 2 people) including air deviation fees ($150) to get the flights I wanted.

May not be quite as cut-and-dried if you can book round trip airfares (e.g. departure/arrival ports are the same) rather than 2 one-ways. I'm doing a Trans Atlantic.

[leonardray]

We are using Oceania air on Oct 28 Tampa to Athens. I picked the flights and seats I wanted. Cost me one hundred fifty dollars for deviation. The only down side was we could not upgrade to business without paying a small fortune. One way flights are prohibitive.

[leonardray]

Should have mentioned Ipicked the times and the dates of the flights.

[Leonid]

We do our own air since I've found that we can do business class for less than what O would charge. There are several web sites where one can find good bargains. Although we live in Reno,NV, we usually fly out of LAX.

However, for our 12/2008 BA to Valparaiso sailing, we're staying over in LV, and flying to BA via ATL the next day. Good business class fares on Delta.

When we do Istanbul to Miami next year, we'll probably fly out of LAX again. We have found Lufthansa to be reasonable and especially reliable. Love connecting through Munich.

[Paulchili]

When we do Istanbul to Miami next year, we'll probably fly out of LAX again. We have found Lufthansa to be reasonable and especially reliable. Love connecting through Munich.

 

Leonid,

Please make sure that you have enough connecting time in Munich.

Our friends took a LH flight from DC to Istanbul with 40 min connection in Munich. I warned them about it and suggested they go for the flight 2 hours later (it was a cruise arranged flight - though not O). The cruise line did not want to change the flights; they made the connection but their luggage did not. They cruised the Black Sea with their carry-ons. 1 piece of luggage was returned 6 or 7 days later; the second was returned on arrival back to Istanbul (looted).

I am sure you know better.

[Acrusa]

Why don't you fly direct from LV. to JFK and on to Venice direct flight on Delta?

[neepawa]

We used Oceania air on our Med cruise flying from Montreal to Venice via Munich returning from Barcelona again via Munich; and on our Panama Canal cruise from Montreal to LA returning from Miami.

 

We paid the deviation fee to get the flights that we wanted including going to LA a day early.

 

The Oceania air arrangements were perfect for us.

 

Don

[Leonid]

Paul - After 32 cruises, we do indeed know better about connecting flights. Thanks for the heads up.

Acrusa - I did look into flying east from LV. Better prices and connections from LAX at the time. Who knows what we will find after the first of the year. Thanks to you too for the feedback. Always looking for the best flights at the best prices. It is a trade off.

[caribbeansun]

Our flights to Athens and home from Istanbul last summer via O would have been horrid and all the extra charges to get better connections, flight deviations etc. made air very expensive. I took the credit, booked first class FF seats and got excellent connections on our timetable.

 

For the pending Caribbean cruise the air credit is far less than what the cost to book ourselves so we will use O's air (assuming we still go).

[DOJO466]

I think I made the right decision. We are going on Baltics June 29 out of Stockholm. Decided to book own air Bos-Amsterdam-Stockholm, return London-Bos. Total airfare was $1200 p/p. O gave us a credit of $950 each but what really made me book own air is that we did not have to pay the $684 p/p for taxes, surcharges etc. So the way I look at it is we saved $868 and we have a great itinerary that more suited our needs and we didn't have to pay for deviation.

[Leonid]

DOJO466 - Looking forward to the 02/2009 sailing. If your out of Boston, can I say BoSox still rule?

[Paulchili]

DOJO466 - can I say BoSox still rule?

 

Thank goodness they don't anymore; neither do the Pats!

Time for a change of guard.

[DOJO466]

Leonid of course they do

 

Paulchili, well what can I say? We will be back:p

[Leonid]

Paulchili - Spent 30 years in the Silicon Valley. Was and kind of still am a 49er fan even with the Yorks bad management of the team. With the exception of the SHARKS the rest of the teams are bad news.

The Red Sox will be back. Rest a sure!

[Paulchili]

Paulchili - Spent 30 years in the Silicon Valley. Was and kind of still am a 49er fan even with the Yorks bad management of the team. With the exception of the SHARKS the rest of the teams are bad news.

The Red Sox will be back. Rest a sure!

 

I agree with you about the horrendous management, especially the 49ers.

I would like to see a salary cap in baseball (same as in football), so that teams like the A's can compete on the same level with the free spenders like Yankees, Bosox & others, who essentially buy championships (or are trying to, anyway). Until then the A's will be nothing more than the best farm club for all teams in baseball.

Hats off to the Pats - they are doing it on a level field.

Appologies to OP- too much off the topic.

[Leonid]

Paul - but it was fun:D