No Free Air

[oceansandseas]

We received a mailing today from Oceania and the prices seemed quite nice. On looking more closely, there is no mention of free air.

 

Has anyone else received this and are there changes being made?

 

Any thoughts.

[LHT28]

without seeing the email it is hard to say

 

Is it for cruises coming up soon?

As the cruise date get closer sometime the free air (which is not really free) will disappear along with the 2 for 1 pricing

[rallydave]

It's a way for cruise lines to advertise lower prices as you get closer to the sailing date in order to fill the ships. As LHT28 correctly stated, free anything on a cruise ship or otherwise is NOT free. The proper term that should be used is included as nothing in this world is "FREE".

 

Cruise lines include in the fare a set amount to cover the included air and as you get closer to the cruise date, the either they don't have more seats available at their negotiated price or the fare that the cruise line must pay for your flight becomes more than the amount included in your fare so the cruise line is simply trying to avoid paying more than originally planned.

 

Normally the passengers at this time while looking like saving money will actually pay more because lower air fares aren't available unless they can snag a low fare or use point or live near enough to drive to the departure/arrival point.

 

O like most other cruise lines will rebate a set amount for air and the prices you see are most probably the same as what you would pay if you decline air and get the rebate.

 

Simply another advertising ploy that does not normally provide a lower price to the customer. By the way, O is no different than other cruise lines in using this ploy. Really feel this provides a dis-service to passengers who think they are getting a good deal but, this is the way advertising works. Always check out what seems to be too good a deal as it often is. Again, nothing is free in this world and the cruise lines like other companies need to make profits or they will simply go out of business.

[hondorner]

As Dave save, this is a form of marketing. Look for the words "Cruise only" somewhere in the email. I just received one from Regent.

 

It doesn't mean any changes in policy; some folks are attracted more by the "free" air marketing and some are attracted more by a lower price; the cruise line is just using every weapon in their arsenal. I ignore the ones that don't apply to me. Actually, the entire email marketing campaign at any price is wasted on me; I make my decisions about which cruise to take based on when I want to go, who else is going and a host of other factors; the email would have to be advertsing an extraordinary deal to interest me, and I probably learned about that deal in some other way without the email (that's what you get with a good travel agent).

[Paulchili]

The proper term that should be used is included as nothing in this world is "FREE".

 

 

With the possible exception of AIR? :D

If someone could find a way to charge for it, they probably would. :)

[JimandStan]

I actually received the same letter from their president and reserved our cruise for the November 14 Athens to Rome cruise with air. When I spoke to the reservationist and said I needed air from Miami, they quoted me a rate that included their free air from Miami. So I recommend for you to call and ask them to provide you with an air include price. Good luck!

 

I don't mean to be "the Word Police" again, but it is obvious , as Hondorner has already stated, that this was simply a brochure that DID NOT INCLUDE AIR TRANSPORTATION in the prices that it quotes in order to attract prospective clients to a lower price.

 

ADDING AIR is always an option, but for many people the lower price is what gets them interested in the first place, and that is the point of presenting the price of the cruise in varying ways.

[oceansandseas]

First of all LHT28, I said that I received a "mailing" not an "email".

 

Emails can go flying out on a moments notice. However a mailing takes longer to produce, even in this modern technology age. I imagined that many other people would have received this. It did have my travel agents name and address on the back. I thought that we could discuss the pros and cons of the "free air".

 

I was just asking a general question since I have never received offers from Oceania without the free air in the price advertised. This was a glossy printing similar to the ones that we receive often from Oceania. Some cruises were for the fall of 2012 and some were for 2013.

 

Actually I do not like having the free air as then you must pay the deviation fee to fly in a day or two early. We book our cruises a year in advance and do know that the air does get expensive when you are closer to the flying date.

 

I realize that nothing is free and that the "free air" is just the way that Oceania markets their product.

 

I have been on 12 Oceania cruises (also cruised Seabourn and Cunard many times) and believe that I am a seasoned cruiser. I should have mentioned that in my posting as other posters can not read between the lines. Not that computer savy so I do not know how to list my cruises at the bottom.

 

So, it looks like they are just trying to do something different.

[ORV]

Not that computer savy so I do not know how to list my cruises at the bottom.

 

 

If you really want to list them, or some of them, look up towards the top left of the page where is says "User CP", click on that and look down the left side of the page to where it has a link for "Edit Signature". Click on that and play around with it till you get what you want.

[E Heffa]

With the possible exception of AIR? :D

If someone could find a way to charge for it, they probably would. :)

Some of the gas stations around here charge $0.75 for air! :eek:

[PaulMCO]

I was a targeted mailing with low prices. Of courses cruises without "free air" are lower priced. My "guess" it was to people who have Oceania accounts (I have two with different email addresses) and have not cruised with Oceania. It also offered OBC and automatic induction into the Oceania Club. Nice marketing -- but no takers here...

[Jancruz]

I was a targeted mailing with low prices. Of courses cruises without "free air" are lower priced. My "guess" it was to people who have Oceania accounts (I have two with different email addresses) and have not cruised with Oceania. It also offered OBC and automatic induction into the Oceania Club. Nice marketing -- but no takers here...

 

Paul, if you were ever thinking of cruising with Oceania this is the time, they have some really great specials to attract new cruisers!!

Jancruz1

[LHT28]

First of all LHT28, I said that I received a "mailing" not an "email".

 

.

 

Sorry

Me bad:eek:

 

I received an email with promotions in it

Today we got a flyer in the mail (have not looked at it as yet) it may be the one you speak of

If you book well in advance you may or may not pay attention to the other offers coming in ...we usually book 18 mths out so once I am booked I seldom look at the other offers

 

We sometimes take the air sometimes we do our own

 

They have had offers in the past where the air is removed also the 2 for 1 is removed in favour of 40% or 25% off the fares

 

Just my observations

 

Lyn

[LHT28]

I was a targeted mailing with low prices. Of courses cruises without "free air" are lower priced. My "guess" it was to people who have Oceania accounts (I have two with different email addresses) and have not cruised with Oceania.

That is very strange since you posted in feb

We are just back from the Nautica Capetown - Singapore cruise.

Since some may be interested we did do a land tour/safari that was excellent.

[azevedan]

That is very strange since you posted in feb

 

Remember your sentence parsing way back when? :D Take out his parenthetical and it may become clearer:

 

Quote: Originally Posted by PaulMCO

My "guess" it was to people who have Oceania accounts ...and have not cruised with Oceania.

 

[LHT28]

Remember your sentence parsing way back when? :D Take out his parenthetical and it may become clearer:

 

Quote: Originally Posted by PaulMCO

My "guess" it was to people who have Oceania accounts ...and have not cruised with Oceania.

 

I am not the only one who guessed wrong then ;)

[hondorner]

We received the same mailing today. Betsy got really excited and started looking for the "cheap" cruises, until I pointed out to her the phrase "Cruise Only" clearly stated, and the small print saying the price would be plus additional government fees and taxes. Then, I got out our invoice for our Dec 10 cruise, and showed her that we paid the identical price, since I booked it without air (we don't need to fly 133 miles to Miami and back). She was disappointed, but I think the momentary excitement is good for her cardiovascular system ;).

[Jancruz]

I got one today for Bronze cruisers only (over 5 Oceania cruises) it also was cruise only, I havent had the time to check all the prices yet but they also gave $50 OBC..

Jancruz1

[Jancruz]

We received the same mailing today. Betsy got really excited and started looking for the "cheap" cruises, until I pointed out to her the phrase "Cruise Only" clearly stated, and the small print saying the price would be plus additional government fees and taxes. Then, I got out our invoice for our Dec 10 cruise, and showed her that we paid the identical price, since I booked it without air (we don't need to fly 133 miles to Miami and back). She was disappointed, but I think the momentary excitement is good for her cardiovascular system ;).

 

So Don, we will probably be cruising together on December 10th yet agani!!

Jancruz1

[ORV]

I got one today for Bronze cruisers only (over 5 Oceania cruises) it also was cruise only, I havent had the time to check all the prices yet but they also gave $50 OBC..

Jancruz1

 

I got that also, noticed it said for Bronze cruisers. I didn't realize that was for over 5 cruises. We have only been on 2 Oceania cruises. We must be on the wrong list. Go figure.

[Mura]

Mailing lists are mailing lists. We get posts from Oceania that are intended for travel agents (which we are not) as well as for mere passengers. The TA posts usually come a day earlier. I'm not complaining ...

 

Mura

[dorisis]

I got an Oceania Brochure included in my WSJ 2 or 3 days ago. That was a first for me . i get a lot by e-mail and many thru the USPO system.

 

I generally book my Oceania cruises when they are first announced. That way i can get the cabin I want. I have never seen any real price drops on any of the cruises i have taken or now have booked.

 

~Doris~

[hondorner]

So Don, we will probably be cruising together on December 10th yet agani!!

Jancruz1

Yep! Looking forward to it. Are you still going on the AQ in June? We just doubled up for August.

[Jancruz]

Yep! Looking forward to it. Are you still going on the AQ in June? We just doubled up for August.

 

Nope, no time..but hope you love it!!

Jancruz1

[dorisis]

I got another brochure yesterday in the mail. Husband got the same one. We are bronze but I saw no mention of that and no offer of OBC. I checked the price for the cruise we are taking and it was $100 more than we paid and we got a few perks for booking early.

 

~Doris~

[west23hill]

without seeing the email it is hard to say

 

Is it for cruises coming up soon?

As the cruise date get closer sometime the free air (which is not really free) will disappear along with the 2 for 1 pricing

 

? about an earlier cruise that you have taken.

When were you on the Alexander Pushkin? We took a Russian Cruise in 1983 and again in 1984 when we were living in Holland.

Just curious.

B & A