Is Oceania the only cruise line that includes air?

[Wren3]

Looking at an Alaska cruise on Oceania for 2016 but was wondering are there other cruise lines that include air in their advertised prices? I haven't found any thus far but was wondering if I was mistaken. Thanks.

Edited February 15, 2016 by Wren3

[JimandStan]

Looking at an Alaska cruise on Oceania for 2016 but was wondering are there other cruise lines that include air in their advertised prices? I haven't found any thus far but was wondering if I was mistaken. Thanks.

 

If you opt out of using Oceania Air, it will generate a rebate from the published rate (which varies dependent on how far you will be traveling to catch the ship), so you will be able to compare the prices "apples to apples" regardless of what the other guys are doing.

 

Other lines are more likely to bundle Air in when the flights required are open jaw. Until the advent of 7 day Oceania cruises recently, the huge majority of Oceania voyages required open jaw arrangements.

 

Edited February 15, 2016 by JimandStan

[rallydave]

Yes, Regent includes air on all its' cruises with the add on for business class significantly less than Oceania.

 

As to the so called "rebate", it is actually a partial refund of the money included in the fare to cover the cost of the air. And, the comment regarding the amount of the refund; it does not depend on the the distance traveled as the refund is the same for every passenger requesting the refund for the identical cruise no matter where your home airport is.

 

Simple way to understand this is that the cruise fare which includes the air is identical no matter your home location and the refund is the same no matter if you depart from Hawaii for Europe or New York for Asia to name a few extremes in the US.

 

Regent being a sister line to Oceania with the same combined air department has the identical policies regarding refunds with the major difference the significantly lower air add on for business class air and for air to Europe, business class air is included for Penthouse and above. Don't let this confuse you with Regent in that if you look at the fares that include business class air, you will see that the difference between Penthouse and the next lower category is a significant amount and sometimes much more than the cost of the air add on for business. Also, Regent seems to be running promotions in various areas where there is an assumption that cruises are not selling well and business is sometimes included for all categories or the business add-on is reduced even more.

 

The same calculations that should be performed when comparing using the cruise air vs. buying your own flights needs to be performed between Oceania and Regent to get the lowest costs to you.

 

Good luck with whoever you choose to travel with.

[Wren3]

Thank you JimandStan and Rallydave for your input ~ we did decide to go with Oceania with their air included Alaska itinerary. Much appreciated.

[curtdesilets]

If you choose to secure your own airfare, how much credit do you get off their published fare?

 

It must be different for domestic vs international flights, no?

[rallydave]

If you choose to secure your own airfare, how much credit do you get off their published fare?

 

It must be different for domestic vs international flights, no?

 

More than simply domestic vs. international. The credit varies depending on your embarkation and/or disembarkation ports. It does not vary depending on where you live and where you start or end your trip.

 

Another interesting option is to take the credit one way and use O air the other way. This is very effective for TA's where the credit is less for the domestic portion and fairly easy to get a cheaper fare while the international portion is difficult to beat the O credit.

[hondorner]

Dave is correct that the air credit (to give it it's proper name) does not differ regardless of your home airport -- for everyone on the same cruise. The amount DOES differ depending on the destination location, which is what Jim meant by stating the credit is different depending on the distance -- from Miami, the home port of the company.

 

The easy way to determine the amount of the credit is to make a dummy, or practice, booking on the Oceania website, without going all the way through and completing the booking. Simply answer the question of whether you will need air or not.

[Flatbush Flyer]

If you choose to secure your own airfare, how much credit do you get off their published fare?

 

 

 

It must be different for domestic vs international flights, no?

 

 

You can do a dummy booking and during the process, select "no airfare" to see reduced price. We've had credit ranging from less than $500 SFO-EWR to more than $1500 for SFO-LIS. We pretty much always take the credit and do our own flights using FF points for business/first tix/upgrades to accommodate pre/post cruise touring days.

 

Along these lines, it's interesting how many folks use cabin costs for comparisons of value. They should really use "net daily cost" comparing all cruise related expenses. Doing so, demonstrates the real "bang for the buck" on O.

[Hunding]

We took the air credit last year (for an Alaskan cruise) for what would have been a Los Angeles-Seattle round trip - $300 per person. One can fly for considerably less than that.

[tropicalkerry2002]

is always quick to tell me that the air credit can change. However, in all the times I have had to wait till frequent flier seats are released, and then requested the credit, it has always been what I was told. Remember though, that I am still requesting the credit about a year before the cruise.

Just be aware, it CAN change.

[Travelcat2]

Agree with what has been posted except that Oceania and Regent do not have a combined air department - they are run separately and the flights available also differ. Some other luxury lines include air. Unlike luxury lines, however, Oceania does not include transfers to and from the ship with their included air.

[JimandStan]

Oceania does not include transfers to and from the ship with their included air.

Unless one uses the Oceania pre/post hotel option, in which case transfers ARE included.

[Travelcat2]

Unless one uses the Oceania pre/post hotel option, in which case transfers ARE included.

 

Right - I was just making a differentiation between included air on Oceania and other lines. IMO, the cost for the pre/post hotel is quite expensive on Oceania (Regent includes the pre-night hotel for concierge level and above). Silversea is now including two nights pre-cruise hotel, transfers and air for some of their itineraries.

[StanandJim]

IMO, the cost for the pre/post hotel is quite expensive on Oceania

 

That is the way that the rest of us feel about the cost of the FARE on Regent ;)

Edited February 16, 2016 by StanandJim

[Travelcat2]

That is the way that the rest of us feel about the cost of the FARE on Regent ;)

 

Could not agree with you more:D