Oceania

[rallydave]

Then one should take the air credit and book the flights themselves.

Oceania books the cheapest available flights. That is why their flights are often cheaper than what you can get yourself.

You get what you pay for - cheaper flight with potentially many connections/overnight flights, tight connections or arrival times, etc or pay more for better flights (with deviation or buying yourself).

You can't always have your cake and eat it too - pay the lowest fare and have the best flights. Most of the time things work out well but with flying there are always potential problems. Everyone has to decide their risk tolerance for the assigned flights given ALL the facts as posted by ORV (i.e. Oceania is NOT responsible to get you there on time) and take responsibility for THEIR own decisions. You are not obligated to take their flights if you don't like them - we never do.

"Free" (included) flights are but an option that one can take or not - much like a drinks package or tours; only if you like it and feel it's a good deal.

 

Paul, while I agree 100% with your thoughts and the fact that they will book the least expensive flights which any business would do for profitability, interestingly over on the Regent Board there is a discussion about booking flights and the like and one prolific poster who I am sure you are familiar with over her on O keeps insisting that Regent won't book the least expensive flight and will always use the contracted carriers and may show up here and take you to task for saying the least expensive. We all know there is now after the PCH purchase only a single air department albeit with different people working the air for the 2 different cruise lines. For the economy of combining the three cruise lines under the NCLH banner, most, if not all departments were made single departments with perhaps different requirements depending on the the specific cruise line but, having 3 cruise lines does increase the spending and sure by now they have airline and other contracts that cover all three companies which should reduce operating costs.

 

Get a kick out of the poster who said he had read the T;s and C's yet in his case O did take care of some of the problems which does happen from time to time but, for sure not all of the time yet people believe what they believe and then complain.

[Travelcat2]

Paul, while I agree 100% with your thoughts and the fact that they will book the least expensive flights which any business would do for profitability, interestingly over on the Regent Board there is a discussion about booking flights and the like and one prolific poster who I am sure you are familiar with over her on O keeps insisting that Regent won't book the least expensive flight and will always use the contracted carriers and may show up here and take you to task for saying the least expensive. We all know there is now after the PCH purchase only a single air department albeit with different people working the air for the 2 different cruise lines. For the economy of combining the three cruise lines under the NCLH banner, most, if not all departments were made single departments with perhaps different requirements depending on the the specific cruise line but, having 3 cruise lines does increase the spending and sure by now they have airline and other contracts that cover all three companies which should reduce operating costs.

 

 

Interesting that you have taken this discussion over here. Not sure how much experience you have with Regent and Oceania air. I have experience with booking air through both companies. As a matter of interest, Regent would permit us to use an airline/flight on Regent but Oceania would not permit it. So, from personal experience, there are differences between Oceania and Regent (and certainly NCL). Have you considered that most Regent contracted flights are for Business Class while this is not the case for Oceania? Although we have brooked Business Class flights through Oceania (quite expensive), I have seen Oceania sales for Premium Economy. So, using your theory that all three cruise lines have the same contracted airlines, it would have to be for all classes available on the flight - even though Regent does not use international Economy or international Premium Economy (or even international First).

 

Since I do not sail with Oceania frequently, I do not profess to know as much about Oceania flights/routing as I do about Regent's so I will not pretend that I do. For instance, does Oceania use top airlines like Cathay Pacific and Emirates (or even British Airways - a formerly fairly good airline)? Do they have extra fees for some airlines on deviated flights? While we can read the website and some threads, only those posters that have a lot of experience with Oceania really knows the answer.

 

I still feel strongly that Regent or Oceania would not put their passengers on some random airline (not contracted now or in the past) and risk the cost and time involved in working with the airline when they cancel or delay the fight. Oceania and Regent need to be able to assist their passengers in getting to or from the ship as quickly and efficiently as possible. Obviously this can be done easier if they are using airlines that they use regularly.

 

So, if ronrick1943 or others are reading this, perhaps we can get their input.

 

Paulchili - agree that Oceania uses the lowest fares available but my contention is that they use the lowest "contracted" fares rather than any random airline with special rates (for reasons posted above). For instance, I do not see Oceania booking China Airlines (which I do not believe is contracted) rather than Delta (which is contracted) for $50/person difference for a coach seat). IMO, this is being "Penny wise pound foolish".

[pinotlover]

Having booked group tours in the past, this is a highly complicated matter. Using historical data , Oceania prebooks bulk rate tickets with specific Airlines. On the airlines side, those seats may be capacity limited on any given flight. So the airlines may only allow 10 seats on their non stop transatlantic flight from A-B, but may give O 50 seats on its connector run through a European hub from airport A. So it becomes a maze of different flights on different airlines either direct or with connections.

 

I know of passengers that pay the deviation fee at 270 days out, to get one of those direct flights on a specific airline so they can then upgrade the seat. If someone waits the full O cycle , until about 45 days out, they are deep into the maze . Anything can come out depending upon what's left. At that time, O has to make final payment on the seat and provide an actual passenger name for the held seats or lose them. The airlines can then sell those seats at premium, far above the bulk rate.

 

It is apparent that Regent and O have different mixes on contract air.

 

Another ringer, discussed in the past, is true PR seats. With few current exceptions, if this option is taken it will be on non US carriers. This means the maze must be worked to get one onto an appropriate foreign carrier, offering that service, properly connecting with the US leg. All those seats being capacity controlled and limited.

 

Free air is what brings many cruisers into O, so they play the game constantly. All of the moving pieces do not always ensure a convenient flight with perfect connections.

[Paulchili]

 

Paulchili - agree that Oceania uses the lowest fares available but my contention is that they use the lowest "contracted" fares rather than any random airline with special rates (for reasons posted above). For instance, I do not see Oceania booking China Airlines (which I do not believe is contracted) rather than Delta (which is contracted) for $50/person difference for a coach seat). IMO, this is being "Penny wise pound foolish".

 

I have never used O air so I do not know which airlines they use. It makes perfect sense that they would use contracted airlines - for any number of reasons.

That said, all flights even with "contracted" airlines are not the same in price or itinerary. Thus O will most likely use the ones with lowest fares with that airline that will work, even if sometimes the connection times are tight or arrivals are fairly close to sailing - because they are "legal" connections and are cheaper. Airlines do this frequently even on purchased tickets - they will book you on a flight with barely legal connection time. It is wise for you to choose one with longer and safer connection time (even though the airline will get you there if you miss the tight connection at their expense) If you don't have a ship to catch, you can afford to "gamble" on a tight connection and possibly miss it; if you have a ship to catch you shouldn't.

Missing the ship is obviously not a very common occurrence or else we would hear about it a lot more. However uncommon it may be, for that one person to whom it happens it is a disaster that could have potentially been avoided.

[Travelcat2]

Paulchili: Agree with your assumptions! It puzzles me that Oceania (and Regent) book flights that arrive the same day as the cruise and does not allow enough time to make the transfers. Very risky IMO.

 

pinotlover: Thank you for an insiders view of how Oceania works. As I thought, Regent and Oceania have different contracts. It was just common sense (IMHO).

 

It seems that the bottom line is that it is truly a maze if you wait until Oceania (Regent) makes decisions for you in terms of what flights are left when you are close to your sailing date. It is for this reason that we almost always deviate!

 

Thanks so much for your input!

[happy cruzer]

Have noticed many saying that O does not allow enough time for transfers. There are airline guidelines that are followed. The issue is when a flight is delayed for whatever reason - mechanical issue, weather, crew issue, etc. Air travel is changing with more delays. The air carrier's contract is to carry someone from point a to point b period, arrival times not guaranteed. No agent (cruise lines act as agent for air) can predict when the delays will happen and how long they will be. It can be days like for a strike or volcano.

 

Use common sense and air deviation. Buy travel delay insurance.