OLife Air vs. DIY

[ohcsim123]

We're considering the Marina 07/28/20 UK cruise and evaluating the OLife option.

Airfare from Philadelphia seems considerately higher than OLife if we book our own.

Anyone with experience on this? Thanks in advance.

[Classiccruiser777]

Yes. Chances are your flight to the ship will be a red eye. You may use Oceania’s air for both segments or only one segment and take an air credit.

 

Have you considered Norwegian Air Shuttle? They fly out of EWR.

Edited October 30, 2018 by Classiccruiser777

[katz]

We always book our own.  We had one experience using O's air.  This was before the OLife program.  We were bounced around from DC to NY to Frankfurt, (with a 59 minute layover. After we complained, they rebooked us a flight with a four-hour layover).  We made it to Athens, but said never again.  I think it is the luck of the draw in getting good flights and connections.  

 

We like to be able to choose our seats and do not like to wait until the last minute.  You have to pay extra for the deviation.

We would rather shop around and pay a little extra.

[LHT28]

If you use the O air  especially to Europe  pay the deviation fee & fly in  a few days early  

You can start the process about 270 days out

Choose the flight times/routing you want  & see if  Oceania can get them with no upcharge

Or just take the air credit  & book your own flights

 You can also just  do the Cruise only fare  with No O Life perks  if that suits your  needs

JMO

[ano]

Will it save you money over booking them yourself? Likely not. Will the flights be less-than-ideal? Probably yes. You can get OLife without the flights and that is what we do.

[Paulchili]

As stated above, O Life and Oceania air are two different and separate options. You can do either one without the other or “cruise only” without either.

[pinotlover]

PHL is a major AA hub, particularly going to Europe. When flights open up, I’d watch for sales and you’ll probably beat O’s fare.

 

we always book with airfare included, watch for sales and good purchasing opportunities, then take the air credit after we found our deal. Our fall back is using O air.

 

For is, we always fly out of a none gateway city, typically BNA but occasionally EVV. By the time O wants to do add ons for 1. Non gateway city 2. Deviation fee 3. Premium Economy; they are never less expensive than we can book on our own. 

 

As an example AA/BA ( BA metal) flies nonstop daily BNA-LHR. BA is one of Oceania’s contract airlines. Oceania still wanted to charge us the no gateway premium! Self booking PE flights on those nonstops was nearly $500 less than using O! Plus we’d never know until 70 days out if O would have put us on the nonstops without paying the fees!

[ohcsim123]

Thanks to all who have replied.

 

This cruise is July, 2020 and it looks like there are no schedules/prices yet from the airlines.

Air will be Philadelphia to London with return.

Olife price is $1300pp above the cruise-only price with $300pp OBC (same as cash for us).

Thus, "O-air" will cost us $1000pp round trip. "Premium" upgrade (whatever that means) is $300pp.

 

Looking at various July, 2019 airline prices for comparison, the "O-air" ($1000pp RT) seems quite inexpensive.

I understand that there is big uncertainty as to flights and inconveniences with "O-air".

 

Recommendations?

 

 

 

 

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, ohcsim123 said:

Thanks to all who have replied.

 

This cruise is July, 2020 and it looks like there are no schedules/prices yet from the airlines.

Air will be Philadelphia to London with return.

Olife price is $1300pp above the cruise-only price with $300pp OBC (same as cash for us).

Thus, "O-air" will cost us $1000pp round trip. "Premium" upgrade (whatever that means) is $300pp.

 

Looking at various July, 2019 airline prices for comparison, the "O-air" ($1000pp RT) seems quite inexpensive.

I understand that there is big uncertainty as to flights and inconveniences with "O-air".

 

Recommendations?

 

I would book with the O air  now  then when  the air schedules come out  next summer   check  for prices

You can always remove the air & take  the credit  & book your own if  cheaper

Just looking at 2019 prices the cheapest non stop is  about $1100. for coach

 

I would plan to fly in a day or more early   so if using O air  then add  $175 pp for the deviation fee  to the math

 

Premium is  a bit larger seats & different service  compared to Economy

some airlines are better than other  check the airline website for  their idea of Premium seats

JMO

 

[pinotlover]

The only July 2020 London- London Cruise embarks on 7/28/20 for ten days. Doing a dummy booking as I recommended above shows a $1000 air credit while keeping the OLife package which includes a $600 OBC option. There doesn’t appear to be any real sales going on currently, but when they do, you’ll get prices under $1K.

 

I would never fly in the day of the cruise, so just adding on the deviation fee to the $1K credit yields a higher number than Lyn’s $1100 quoted above! 

 

Book the flight with air air and next September start looking for airfare sales. You will be O’s prices unless fuel prices scream!

[Paulchili]

7 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

The only July 2020 London- London Cruise embarks on 7/28/20 for ten days. Doing a dummy booking as I recommended above shows a $1000 air credit while keeping the OLife package which includes a $600 OBC option. There doesn’t appear to be any real sales going on currently, but when they do, you’ll get prices under $1K.

 

I would never fly in the day of the cruise, so just adding on the deviation fee to the $1K credit yields a higher number than Lyn’s $1100 quoted above! 

 

Book the flight with air air and next September start looking for airfare sales. You will be O’s prices unless fuel prices scream!

Sale on July flights to Europe? Maybe for December but not very likely for July IMO.

I know award tickets to Europe are much harder to find for July than December and prices usually reflect the same economics - it only makes sense that there will be higher demand for those tickets for July than December/January.

Of course, anything is possible but I personally would not count on that.

Edited October 31, 2018 by Paulchili

[pinotlover]

Paul;

 

Never try to outsmart the airlines. Two weeks ago, I caught a one day inventory adjustment sale for next August into and out of London for about half of the regular posted pricing.

 

Watch ita matrix , and be ready to jump when the deals appear. Don’t hesitate! The computer algorithm inventory adjustments may pop up with 5-6 seats for sell and when they’re gone, prices alter. Seen seats at one price in the morning and hundreds more in the afternoon. Watch ita matrix and save!

[pinotlover]

Paul;

 

Never try to outsmart the airlines. Two weeks ago, I caught a one day inventory adjustment sale for next August into and out of London for about half of the regular posted pricing.

 

Watch ita matrix , and be ready to jump when the deals appear. Don’t hesitate! The computer algorithm inventory adjustments may pop up with 5-6 seats for sell and when they’re gone, prices alter. Seen seats at one price in the morning and hundreds more in the afternoon. Watch ita matrix and save!

 

To be fair to Paul ( and to keep Flyertaker happy) these are not advertised SALES, as often seen by Air Canada or at times by some of the other airlines. These are done by algorithms to create seat placements, cash flow or whatever the airlines wish to achieve. They come and go. Can’t outguess the algorithms. Watch ita matrix.

[Classiccruiser777]

I know the OP is flying out of Philadelphia but for those that live at or near an airport that Norwegian serves I suggest checking them. I just purchased two one way tickets for a direct, non-stop flight from Seattle to London for next June for $595. We have aisle seats and the price includes a checked bag.

Edited October 31, 2018 by Classiccruiser777

[buggins0402]

2 hours ago, Classiccruiser777 said:

I know the OP is flying out of Philadelphia but for those that live at or near an airport that Norwegian serves I suggest checking them. I just purchased two one way tickets for a direct, non-stop flight from Seattle to London for next June for $595. We have aisle seats and the price includes a checked bag.

You might want to look at a recent thread on Cruiseair board regarding the financial viability of Norwegian Air.  I don’t really know one way or the other...but, the thread has been eye opening about the leverage racked up by that airline. 

[Paulchili]

8 hours ago, pinotlover said:

Paul;

 

Never try to outsmart the airlines. Two weeks ago, I caught a one day inventory adjustment sale for next August into and out of London for about half of the regular posted pricing.

 

Watch ita matrix , and be ready to jump when the deals appear. Don’t hesitate! The computer algorithm inventory adjustments may pop up with 5-6 seats for sell and when they’re gone, prices alter. Seen seats at one price in the morning and hundreds more in the afternoon. Watch ita matrix and save!

 

To be fair to Paul ( and to keep Flyertaker happy) these are not advertised SALES, as often seen by Air Canada or at times by some of the other airlines. These are done by algorithms to create seat placements, cash flow or whatever the airlines wish to achieve. They come and go. Can’t outguess the algorithms. Watch ita matrix.

Do you check ITA daily (or even several times a day) or do you set up an alert of some kind?

I think that you would have to do one of those things to “catch” these deals.

Edited November 1, 2018 by Paulchili

[ohcsim123]

From what I'm hearing, I think my best bet now is to book the cruise with the OLife option (Direct from them) and lock-in their airfare, "premium upgrade", and London/South Hampton transfers. Then look for and evaluate other options.

Their airfare ($1300pp, Premium/RT), even with the probable headaches, seems to be a decent value.

Am I correct that I can drop the Olife Air and OBC later and keep the cruise-only price if I find a better way?

 

Thanks in advance.

[LHT28]

39 minutes ago, ohcsim123 said:

From what I'm hearing, I think my best bet now is to book the cruise with the OLife option (Direct from them) and lock-in their airfare, "premium upgrade", and London/South Hampton transfers. Then look for and evaluate other options.

Their airfare ($1300pp, Premium/RT), even with the probable headaches, seems to be a decent value.

Am I correct that I can drop the Olife Air and OBC later and keep the cruise-only price if I find a better way?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

The air  has nothing to to with the O Life perks

You can book the air plus Premium upgrade  & the O Life perk  then when flights come available  next year 

do the math & then decide what works for you

You can drop the air & they will give  an air credit

you can keep the O Life perk  or you can drop both options & take the cruise only fare

I would fin a TA that works closely with Oceania to help you wade through the process 

Some TA's  will throw in the pre paid Gratuities &  more

shop around

TIP

skip the Oceania transfer & book a private transfer  or  take the National Express bus to Southampton 

JMO

 

[Starlaker]

We did the National Express bus to Southampton and it was very easy.  Oceania transfers are ridiculously expensive.

[Kingofcool1947]

On 10/31/2018 at 8:38 AM, pinotlover said:

PHL is a major AA hub, particularly going to Europe. When flights open up, I’d watch for sales and you’ll probably beat O’s fare.

 

we always book with airfare included, watch for sales and good purchasing opportunities, then take the air credit after we found our deal. Our fall back is using O air.

 

For is, we always fly out of a none gateway city, typically BNA but occasionally EVV. By the time O wants to do add ons for 1. Non gateway city 2. Deviation fee 3. Premium Economy; they are never less expensive than we can book on our own. 

 

As an example AA/BA ( BA metal) flies nonstop daily BNA-LHR. BA is one of Oceania’s contract airlines. Oceania still wanted to charge us the no gateway premium! Self booking PE flights on those nonstops was nearly $500 less than using O! Plus we’d never know until 70 days out if O would have put us on the nonstops without paying the fees!

What is BA metal?  Never heard of that.

[ORV]

It’s a heavy metal band. 

 

Actually it it means you are flying on British Airlines equipment. 

 

 

[ohcsim123]

Thanks again to all for the good advise on this.

 

We found a TA who works closely with Oceania and who will add prepaid gratuities and a nice OBC to the mix.

Since we're 21 months out and all flights are TBD, we're going to lock-in the OLife (with premium air)

option now and shop the air (as many suggest) when the airline schedules and prices become available.