Question/Frustration with Oceania Air Deviation

[edgee]

I have put in a request for air deviation for May Montreal London itinerary on the Marina. Home airport is Washington Dulles. Requested non stop on United to Montreal with return from London to Dulles, also on United. Oceania responded that they could put me on United for transatlantic flight, but that I would have to connect on Delta through Kennedy going to Montreal because their United domestic (includes Canada) contracts are not in place for 2015. Working with an agent who tells me that Oceania air will not give them verbal feedback…will only respond to proposals for deviation. So, my question is: Should I wait a month or so, hoping that Oceania will have domestic United contracts in place and then re-request my routing with United, or should I assume that Oceania will not be having domestic contracts with United for 2015. Seems that if Oceania were to have a 2015 domestic contract with United, it would be in place by now. Any input from more experienced Oceania travelers would be appreciated.

 

Ed

[Mura]

I'm no expert here, I can just say what *I* would do.

 

I, too, find it surprising that their United domestic contract for 2015 isn't in place yet.

 

But if that is the case, I would first go to United and see what I can do on my own. (I happen to have lots of United miles at the moment which does make it easier for me to say that.)

 

But I'd also be looking around to do my own air which would mean checking other airlines as well.

 

Proviso: while we have on very few occasions taken O's air with a deviation, for most of our cruises we have made our own plans.

 

Good luck on solving this problem!

 

Mura

[edgee]

Thanks Mura. I also prefer to do my own air, but the economics of a one way transatlantic are such that we save at least $2000 a a couple by taking Oceania air even with paying the deviation fee.

[Sopwith]

My own experience on two O bookings is that they are extremely uncooperative on air arrangements, notwithstanding that they are charging exorbitant agency fees for the deviation. It is about to cost them a customer who came over from HAL and Princess looking for something better.

 

I have an acquaintance who has done ~30 cruises on O, and usually cruises 80-100 days per year. When I mentioned my frustration his response was that the on-board service is first class, the service from the Miami office is dismal.

 

I think there needs to be a popular uprising over the air issue.

[Mura]

Thanks Mura. I also prefer to do my own air, but the economics of a one way transatlantic are such that we save at least $2000 a a couple by taking Oceania air even with paying the deviation fee.

 

Well, I'm with you there ... and understand that saving that much is a big factor.

 

So I guess the question is -- do you wait to hope things fall into place or go ahead on your own? And I cannot advise you there! You sound quite educated so you'll figure it out.

 

I AM wondering if another TA might not get further, but we can't trade TA info here so I won't go there.

 

Good luck again!

 

Mura

[edgee]

Well, I'm with you there ... and understand that saving that much is a big factor.

 

So I guess the question is -- do you wait to hope things fall into place or go ahead on your own? And I cannot advise you there! You sound quite educated so you'll figure it out.

 

I AM wondering if another TA might not get further, but we can't trade TA info here so I won't go there.

 

Good luck again!

 

Mura

 

Good point about the TA. I like my TA, and the agency offers good benefits, but they do get a little bureaucratic and the customer service department who is handling this will not win any Mensa society awards. I will press them tomorrow for a better answer from Oceania about when/if United contract will be put in place. My other option is to say the heck with it and spend my own United miles to avoid a crummy connection (just 10,000 per person for a commuter jet) to get to Montreal and then use the Oceania air benefit for the transatlantic.

[rallydave]

I know with Regent you can do one way with the cruise line and one way with a credit for the unused flight so suggest you do the deviation for the return from London, get the credit for the flight to Montreal and buy or use miles for your one way flight to Montreal.

 

Did this on Regent a couple of years ago on a TA and the credit for the flight to Ft Lauderdale was more than the flight I booked and paid for. Also avoided a plane change and flew non-stop.

 

Can't be sure Oceania has the same policy but, might just work and allow you to keep the reasonable price from London.

 

Good luck,

[JPR]

Don't blame Oceania! United does not have good service to Montreal. The good news is that they have a contract with Delta so your luggage can be checked through. We recently flew United R/T from LAX to JFK (lie-flat beds in P.S. Business Class!) for our Regent Fall colors cruise to Montreal, returning to JFK for our return flight on a quite nice Delta Connections commuter jet.

[edgee]

Don't blame Oceania! United does not have good service to Montreal. The good news is that they have a contract with Delta so your luggage can be checked through. We recently flew United R/T from LAX to JFK (lie-flat beds in P.S. Business Class!) for our Regent Fall colors cruise to Montreal, returning to JFK for our return flight on a quite nice Delta Connections commuter jet.

 

Reason to blame Oceania is that United and it's Star Alliance partner Air Canada actually have very good service to Montreal…six non stops a day between them from my home town. Frustration for me is that the Air Canada flights are from Washington Reagan airport which is not a "free" Oceania airport and they lack a contract for the other 3 non stops from Washington Dulles which is a "free" airport. Too much information, perhaps about our particular situation, just venting my frustration and, indeed, not a biggie in the scheme of things.

[Travelcat2]

Just wondering if contracts are not in place due to the change in ownership that should take place this month? We are also awaiting contracts for British Airways.

[Mura]

Edgee, I'd been going to suggest doing a cheap flight from Dulles to JFK and then heading on to Montreal on this end, but I like some of the later suggestions better. In other words, get to Montreal the easiest way and use the O flights going home.

 

If you can get a direct flight to Montreal from Dulles for 10,000 miles, that sounds like a good deal to me.

 

Travelcat, I find it hard to believe that the upcoming sale to NCL would affect air contracts, but who knows? It's not impossible, I suppose.

 

Mura

[pinotlover]

Don't understand the United 2015 rates issue? Seems to me we have people going United on O air for our upcoming cruse to OZ and back.

 

For me, using O air has been difficult. We never fly in and rarely out on the listed cruise em/dis barkment dates. The deviation fees can exceed what I find the flights on my own for, plus by buying the tickets in advance, I can get assured Premium Economy tickets. Waiting for day 270 can be iffy for PE and I'm not sitting in regular economy for the long hauls across the ponds!

[krillsister]

I have air deviation for a trip in June. My flights are with United. They were booked middle of October.

[rallydave]

Those of you posting about having International flights on United for 2015 appear to have missed parts of the OP's initial post. The OP indicated that only the domestic US as well as Canada contract is not in place. He posted that his flight via deviation from Europe to the US was available and booked for him.

 

This means United Contracts are in place for International flights (not including Canada) so posting that you have United International flights does not solve the lack of a contract for UAL domestic including Canada flights.

[Travelcat2]

Travelcat, I find it hard to believe that the upcoming sale to NCL would affect air contracts, but who knows? It's not impossible, I suppose.

 

Mura

 

My TA is the one that mentioned the possibility. Perhaps they are waiting for the NCL buy-out to be finalized before signing a contract for 2015?

[edgee]

Those of you posting about having International flights on United for 2015 appear to have missed parts of the OP's initial post. The OP indicated that only the domestic US as well as Canada contract is not in place. He posted that his flight via deviation from Europe to the US was available and booked for him.

 

This means United Contracts are in place for International flights (not including Canada) so posting that you have United International flights does not solve the lack of a contract for UAL domestic including Canada flights.

 

Rallydave, I took your suggestion about buying my own ticket for short flight from Dulles to Montreal and using Oceania Air for London Washington Dulles return. Oceania gave us half the air credit..total of $700 back and I bought two one way tickets from Dulles to Montreal on my preferred United non stop commuter jet for just 10,000 frequent flier miles each. Very sweet deal. Even if I had bought the tickets for money, i would have come out ahead financially by several hundred dollars. Of course, on the one way transatlantic return, the value of using Oceania Air is quite clear. Just shows that each Oceania itinerary needs to be evaluated separately regarding air arrangements.

[Mura]

My TA is the one that mentioned the possibility. Perhaps they are waiting for the NCL buy-out to be finalized before signing a contract for 2015?

 

 

Not trying to start a fight, and I really don't know anything!

 

But from what I have heard the earliest that the buy-out can be finalized is at the end of this year. We're already in November and so far as I know it isn't finalized. But 2015 is close upon us ... so I wonder about waiting for the final sale to be consummated to finalize the 2015 contracts. Especially since it does appear that the international contracts HAVE been finalized.

 

I dunno ... I just know what I read in the papers.

 

Mura

[edgee]

I checked with Oceania Air staff regarding when United Airline domestic contracts for 2015 would be finalized. I was told that it is entirely possible that Oceania will not be signing any contracts for domestic air for the coming year with United, as Oceania already has all of the domestic air contracts they need.

[rallydave]

Rallydave, I took your suggestion about buying my own ticket for short flight from Dulles to Montreal and using Oceania Air for London Washington Dulles return. Oceania gave us half the air credit..total of $700 back and I bought two one way tickets from Dulles to Montreal on my preferred United non stop commuter jet for just 10,000 frequent flier miles each. Very sweet deal. Even if I had bought the tickets for money, i would have come out ahead financially by several hundred dollars. Of course, on the one way transatlantic return, the value of using Oceania Air is quite clear. Just shows that each Oceania itinerary needs to be evaluated separately regarding air arrangements.

 

Sincerely glad with your result. Your last sentence is so important I am going to repeat it in big letters:

 

Just shows that each Oceania itinerary needs to be evaluated separately regarding air arrangements.

 

Hope everyone reads the above before asking advice as to what to do regarding air before performing a complete evaluation based on your particular situation. Not two itineraries will be the same and/or result in the same best result.

[StanandJim]

What with the perpetual state of flux that the Airline Industry seems to be perpetually mired in, it seems awfully simplistic to even hope for an Air Program that would not require careful scrutiny on a cruise by cruise basis.

 

Oceania cruises span the entire Planet; getting people to and from their ships is a very different skill set than funneling 6000 passengers per week to Miami to service the Something or Other of the Seas.

[Sopwith]

I was told that it is entirely possible that Oceania will not be signing any contracts for domestic air for the coming year with United, as Oceania already has all of the domestic air contracts they need.

 

I think this illustrates the nucleus of the problem. O has all the contracts they need, not necessarily what their customers need. This is the kind of thinking I expect from the airlines, not from a premium cruise line.

[Travelcat2]

Not trying to start a fight, and I really don't know anything!

 

But from what I have heard the earliest that the buy-out can be finalized is at the end of this year. We're already in November and so far as I know it isn't finalized. But 2015 is close upon us ... so I wonder about waiting for the final sale to be consummated to finalize the 2015 contracts. Especially since it does appear that the international contracts HAVE been finalized.

 

I dunno ... I just know what I read in the papers.

 

Mura

 

I think we are reading different newspapers -- I read that it might close in mid-November. And, perhaps Oceania has finalized international contracts but Regent has not (but will double check with my TA). My mistake is assuming that both cruise lines would be negotiating and completing contracts around the same time.

 

Guess I'm just rather anxious as we have reservations on BA for April 1st and do not know if they will be changed (suppose they will if a contract is not signed with BA). Hopefully everything will be sorted out soon:-)

[pinotlover]

I too question O's motives in not moving forward with a contract with UA. It appears to me, that while cruise rates are increasing, the air rebate portion for many of the cruises is getting ridiculously small. The rates they quote are very gimmicky anyway. I wonder what percent of their passengers actually fly in the morning of embarkment and out the day or disembarkment? Well if you don't here comes the fees. Then if you want something other than what's offered, more costs. Is not dealing with United a simple ploy to force more people to pay for deviations, thus more revenues for O/NCL? What happens if they next add American to the no contract list with United, or maybe Delta?

[Travelcat2]

IMO, it is a simple matter of dollars and cents. If United won't give Oceania the prices that they are seeking, they go elsewhere. After all, the more it cost Oceania, the more it will cost passengers. We used to fly United out of South America. The contract with them has been gone for a couple of years (now using American amongst others).

 

We booked roundtrip air from Vancouver to Miami for a sailing on the Riviera later this month (on our own). This was a difficult thing to do - both from a $$$ and from a schedule perspective. We were flexible and did find decent flights going to Miami. Coming home was more difficult. We do not leave until 3:45 p.m. on the day of disembarkation. Neither flights are non-stop - they do not exist from Vancouver to Miami. And cost was very high. This was the best we could do after a couple days of research.

 

My point is that, like us, Oceania is looking for the best "deal" so they can pass it onto their customers. The airlines are in the drivers seat and have been for some time. They are making billions of dollars by cutting back flights, charging for everything they can think of and raising prices. If airlines continue to gouge the public, it would not surprise me if Oceania did away with included air. Just my opinion.

Edited November 5, 2014 by Travelcat2

[krillsister]

I am flying home on United from Newark to Cincinnati. That leg of my trip is not international.