We're not off to a very good start here.

[LHT28]

I am new to O as well and no idea you could get air credit for one sector, if I knew I would have asked for it. I sort of agreed with the OP that O will take advantage of the situation if they could. O charged me a total of $250 pp on the specified flight I requested on Dec 6 out of MIA to YYZ instead of the scheduled return date of Dec 2. But when my colleague requested the same flight as mine on the scheduled return date on Dec 2 but leaving to BCN on Nov 1 instead of 17th, she only got charged with the deviation fee. So go figured.

some days are more $$ than others or maybe the specific flight was more

 

I am confused how you both could get the same flight when one goes to YYZ & one to BCN ...maybe your colleague has a connecting in YYZ :confused:

 

We requested AC from MIA to YYZ & were not charged anything other than the deviation fee

[wripro]

If you had a good TA he/she would have done that for you.

[mjforfunca]

some days are more $$ than others or maybe the specific flight was more

 

I am confused how you both could get the same flight when one goes to YYZ & one to BCN ...maybe your colleague has a connecting in YYZ :confused:

 

We requested AC from MIA to YYZ & were not charged anything other than the deviation fee

 

Sorry for the confusion, our cruise was transatlantic from BCN to MIA from Nov 18 to Dec 2, my colleague requested the deviation to leave to BCN on Nov 1 and back as scheduled but on return requested to be on AC. For me, I only requested to come home on Dec 6 instead of Dec 2 on AC. I got charged additional and she did not, the only difference is that she spoke to the Air Deviation dept, I gone through the TA, mind you the invoice was issued directly from O.

[LHT28]

Sorry for the confusion, our cruise was transatlantic from BCN to MIA from Nov 18 to Dec 2, my colleague requested the deviation to leave to BCN on Nov 1 and back as scheduled but on return requested to be on AC. For me, I only requested to come home on Dec 6 instead of Dec 2 on AC. I got charged additional and she did not, the only difference is that she spoke to the Air Deviation dept, I gone through the TA, mind you the invoice was issued directly from O.

Then it does sound strange indeed

Did you ask what flights Oceania would give you for the Dec 6th??

 

I always request the same non stop AC flight from MIA, no problem

Edited August 22, 2013 by LHT28

[mjforfunca]

I did not ask what flight they will give me on Dec 6, I just requested the 1:25 pm AC flight and my colleague had requested the same as well for Dec 2. Anyway, I just wanted to point out that their air pricing could be varied.

Edited August 22, 2013 by mjforfunca

[LHT28]

I did not ask what flight they will give me on Dec 6, I just requested the 1:25 pm AC flight and my colleague had requested the same as well for Dec 2. Anyway, I just wanted to point out that their air pricing could be varied.

That is the one I pick as well

Maybe something to do with their contract with AC

 

Have a good cruise

 

Lyn

[Sopwith]

Here's an update, if anyone's interested. Got the docs yesterday with the airline PNR, so I looked up the reservation to check on seat assignments. Outbound on AA the assignments were bad. I was able to go through the seat selection process on the AA website and tried to purchase exit row seats. After going through the whole process it kicked me out on the last screen because it was booked by a TA. Asked the TA to book them but she was confronted with a 45-60 minute wait on hold, so it's pending. It's early enough it should be okay.

 

On the inbound on AC no seats were assigned. I asked the TA to book them using my Elite status on AC. She managed to book the seats but was told my status is worthless on the fare class Oceania has booked :mad:.

 

I thought O billed themselves as a luxury, premium cruise line, but apparently this doesn't include the flying part, which they more or less force you to buy from them. Hope it gets better once we're on the ship.

[Paulchili]

 

I thought O billed themselves as a luxury, premium cruise line, but apparently this doesn't include the flying part, which they more or less force you to buy from them. Hope it gets better once we're on the ship.

 

They ARE a "luxury, premium cruise line" but not a luxury airline.They are in the business of cruising, not flying or selling airline tickets - they do it as a service to those who wish to use it and save money.

They don't force you to buy your air tickets from them but they offer good deals on them (cheap fares). If you want to buy your own tickets, you'll probably spend more and then you can use your AC elite status to book seat, upgrade, etc.

Your choice - can't have your cake and eat it too :)

Edited November 15, 2013 by Paulchili

[JimandStan]

They ARE a "luxury, premium cruise line" but not a luxury airline.They are in the business of cruising, not flying or selling airline tickets - they do it as a service to those who wish to use it and save money.

They don't force you to buy your air tickets from them but they offer good deals on them (cheap fares). If you want to buy your own tickets, you'll probably spend more and then you can use your AC elite status to book seat, upgrade, etc.

Your choice - can't have your cake and eat it too :)

 

+1 (+2 if you count Stan!)

Beautifully and succinctly phrased as usual, Paul :D

[LHT28]

They ARE a "luxury, premium cruise line" but not a luxury airline.They are in the business of cruising, not flying or selling airline tickets - they do it as a service to those who wish to use it and save money.

They don't force you to buy your air tickets from them but they offer good deals on them (cheap fares). If you want to buy your own tickets, you'll probably spend more and then you can use your AC elite status to book seat, upgrade, etc.

Your choice - can't have your cake and eat it too :)

+2

Well said Paul

[pacheco18]

Force you to buy air from them?

 

I must have missed that

We use miles and take the credit

We have never been "forced "

[Sopwith]

Force you to buy air from them?

 

I must have missed that

We use miles and take the credit

We have never been "forced "

 

The credit I was offered if I booked my own air was barely enough to cover the taxes and surcharges on the ticket they would havepourchased on my behalf. In other words, I had the option of booking my own air, but paying twice except for the taxes and surcharges. Perhaps "forced" is too strong a word. "Hosed" would be more to the point.

[pacheco18]

If u think u were hosed, why sail on o?

[treasure4two]

I like control so I took the money back from O and for $200 more -all the way from Charlotte to Hong Kong and back-per person, I picked the flights that worked best for me and picked my seats. We all have choices and mine is to control what I can control-in this case, when and where I fly and sit. Good luck-hope you TA can help.

[hypercafe]

I think Oceania offers a great product, we had such a great trip we are going back for two weeks in March. That said the things that are not offered in the cruise fare are way over the top, some to the point that I find it insulting. If finding that out is going to ruin your trip do not go, it is better to loose a little than have a rotten vacation. I had the same problem with Crystal, in the end I canceled two trips and ate a few g,s but better than going, spending 25g,s and feeling ripped off. There are a lot of options to spend your money on, find one that makes you feel good, not hosed!!!

[LHT28]

There is no rule that says you can only book the airfare with the credit allowed by Oceania

 

If you are not happy that they book bulk ticket & get not flyer miles or other status point then just DIY

Pay the price required to get to/from the embarkation port

 

I weigh my options

I cannot fly r/t Miami for less so I pay the deviation fee, pick my flights & take Oceania provided air.....I saved about $50 but that will cover my taxi fare to/from the port

You have to do what works for you

 

Air credits to/from North American ports/gateways are a lot less than flights outside of N.A.

why.. because the flights also cost more

 

Maybe O should just drop the included air & let people book what they want for the going rates

 

If you want miles you probably will not get them using the included air from O

 

We all have choices in life this is just another one

 

Lyn

[LHT28]

The credit I was offered if I booked my own air was barely enough to cover the taxes and surcharges on the ticket they would havepourchased on my behalf. In other words, I had the option of booking my own air, but paying twice except for the taxes and surcharges. Perhaps "forced" is too strong a word. "Hosed" would be more to the point.

If you feel that strongly now I doubt your going to enjoy the cruise

You will be constantly complaining about the air program

 

You might be better off to take the hit & book a cruise line that you do not feel "hosed" or "forced"

 

JMO

[TERRIER1]

I like control so I took the money back from O and for $200 more -all the way from Charlotte to Hong Kong and back-per person, I picked the flights that worked best for me and picked my seats. We all have choices and mine is to control what I can control-in this case, when and where I fly and sit. Good luck-hope you TA can help.

 

Congratulations on that great air fare. We are on a Grand Voyage from NYC to Sydney and from Papeeti back to NYC. The air credit offered was $1250 which is ridiculous. We can't come near finding a flight for that amount and we fly from a gateway city.

 

Back when we first sailed O the air credit was an amount you could actually work with if you decided to book on your own. The deviation fee was only $75 pp so if you wanted to come in early so not to be stressed out should some unforeseen issue crop up it wasn't expensive to do so.

[cruzmaven]

They ARE a "luxury, premium cruise line" but not a luxury airline.They are in the business of cruising, not flying or selling airline tickets - they do it as a service to those who wish to use it and save money.

 

There is no rule that says you can only book the airfare with the credit allowed by Oceania

 

If you are not happy that they book bulk ticket & get not flyer miles or other status point then just DIY

Pay the price required to get to/from the embarkation port

 

 

Maybe O should just drop the included air & let people book what they want for the going rates

 

I think, from a customer relations standpoint, O would be better served not including the airfare in their rates.

 

As Paul pointed out they are not an airline and not in the business of selling airline tickets.

 

Including the airfare, as they do, leads to people like the OP not being happy with the provided flights, or people not being happy with the air credit if they book their flights on their own, or having to deal with deviation fares, etc. All a big, unnecessary headache, IMHO, that they could avoid simply by concentrating on selling cruises and not dealing with air travel.

 

Once on board the service the ships are excellent but lingering perceptions (justified or not) of being ripped off on the airfare are going to sour the experience. Concentrate on what you do well.

Edited November 15, 2013 by cruzmaven

[TERRIER1]

I think, from a customer relations standpoint, O would be better served not including the airfare in their rates.

 

As Paul pointed out they are not an airline and not in the business of selling airline tickets.

 

Including the airfare, as they do, leads to people like the OP not being happy with the provided flights, or people not being happy with the air credit if they book their flights on their own, or having to deal with deviation fares, etc. All a big, unnecessary headache, IMHO, that they could avoid simply by concentrating on selling cruises and not dealing with air travel.

 

Once on board the service the ships are excellent but lingering perceptions (justified or not) of being ripped off on the airfare are going to sour the experience. Concentrate on what you do well.

 

I agree totally. The included airfare which really isn't free seems to be more of a problem than a solution. Removing the airfare also levels the costing structure since the credit seems to be different at different times for the same cruise. However. O loses it marketing come on of "free air" if they remove the air fare from the cost.

[LHT28]

I agree totally. The included airfare which really isn't free seems to be more of a problem than a solution. Removing the airfare also levels the costing structure since the credit seems to be different at different times for the same cruise. However. O loses it marketing come on of "free air" if they remove the air fare from the cost.

Most people are smart enough to know it is marketing along with the 2 for 1 deal

:rolleyes:

 

I do not have a problem with the current system but many others do

If it may make life easier for the cruise line as well as passengers then do away with the "free air" deal

 

They will find another Marketing angle

 

YMMV

 

Lyn

[vaitape]

In January of this year, we took the air credit and booked our own air. We were able to score a good air fare LAX-MIA. On the return from Rio to LAX, I found a nicely priced BIZ class on COPA, although COPA is a basic, no-frills kind of experience.

 

For our cruise coming up in Dec, there is NO WAY I could find fares comparable to O's offering. It's not going to be pleasant flying cattle class from LAX to Santiago, but we'll tough it out for the savings. We don't have enough FF miles accrued for BIZ and there's no way we could justify the cost for paying for either classes out of pocket.

 

Air fare from PPT-LAX is never a bargain and one-way fares are ridiculous. Again, it works for us to use O's air. We pay deviation to spend time at both ends of the cruise. It works for us. Wish deviation fees were less but it is what it is. O's air for this cruise is a deal.

[woody73]

 

. . . For our cruise coming up in Dec, there is NO WAY I could find fares comparable to O's offering.

 

. . . O's air for this cruise is a deal.

We are on the same cruise, and agree wholeheartedly. I priced flights separately, and could not come close to O's offering.

 

Woody

[pacheco18]

Every cruise is different.

 

No one is getting "hosed."

 

Just "walk" if you are unhappy.

[vaitape]

We are on the same cruise, and agree wholeheartedly. I priced flights separately, and could not come close to O's offering.

 

Woody

 

Hey, we'll see you on-board. Time is moving quickly now!