How does the "O Life Choice" included roundtrip air work?

[Flatbush Flyer]

On 1/15/2019 at 1:10 PM, ano said:

Here is how to find the best Oceania travel agent. 1) Search on-line for one of the sites, where travel agents compete for your business.  2) Enter the cruise you want and in hours you will have 10+ offers. 3) From there look at other ratings for them, like the BBB, then pick your travel agent, and stick with them unless they let you down.

 

I would NOT book an Oceania cruise directly, because travel agents can get you much better deals.

The "competition" site is convenient and helpful in establishing quotes for comparison. However, there are far better deals to be had with the truly top sellers of Oceania cruises (who don't participate in that site). 

Bottom line: do the time consuming/exacting research.

Edited January 27, 2019 by Flatbush Flyer

[Flatbush Flyer]

51 minutes ago, Mura said:

In my experience, if you want business class you are better off booking it yourself and not using O's air.  Whenever I checked what O would charge for a business fare, it was a lot more than what I found on my own.

Plus 1.

Have never Seen O business class prices be better than I can book on my own. Take the air credit and DIY.

[mybagsarepacked]

On ‎11‎/‎18‎/‎2018 at 7:15 PM, gretschwhtfalcon said:

Hi,

 

I get brochures from Oceania all the time, and yet have never sailed with them. What I'm intrigued about is the included airfare mentioned in the O Life Choice fare category. How does this work in the event that there are connecting flights, i.e. is there a maximum number of flights that are included in that fare category?  I'm sure there is more on the website but figured this is a good place to ask about it. Some of the itineraries look really good, and so I'm tempted to try it sometime. Any thoughts, in general, about cruising with this line are welcomed also!

 

Thanks...

I know there are many posts and answers already, but I will chime in. We are going on the Sirena in April, and we chose the O Life because of the air. We were pricing (over the course of several months) Atlanta to Rio (Main Cabin), and Barcelona to Atlanta (Comfort+), and it was just shy of $4,000 each. Nearly $8,000. With the O Life choice, we were paying $1,200 each for the air, plus we got $400 back pp, making our airfare $800 each. We paid the $175/pp air deviation fee, and made sure we got to fly 3 days early into Rio, and we made sure we were on Delta both ways, as they had originally had us on three different airlines, and a stop each way. By paying the $175 pp Air Deviation Fee we got non-stop flights each way, and DL each way. Because I am Gold Medallion on Delta, I now have the option of calling the medallion desk and upgrading into Delta Select (First Class) or Delta One (their highest category) using my air miles. All the way around this was a sweet deal for us. Even paying the air deviation fee, we are saving 75%+ booking air through Oceania. The flights went from $4,000 pp (booking ourselves) to $975 pp ($800 + the $175 air deviation fee).

[rallydave]

2 hours ago, mybagsarepacked said:

I know there are many posts and answers already, but I will chime in. We are going on the Sirena in April, and we chose the O Life because of the air. We were pricing (over the course of several months) Atlanta to Rio (Main Cabin), and Barcelona to Atlanta (Comfort+), and it was just shy of $4,000 each. Nearly $8,000. With the O Life choice, we were paying $1,200 each for the air, plus we got $400 back pp, making our airfare $800 each. We paid the $175/pp air deviation fee, and made sure we got to fly 3 days early into Rio, and we made sure we were on Delta both ways, as they had originally had us on three different airlines, and a stop each way. By paying the $175 pp Air Deviation Fee we got non-stop flights each way, and DL each way. Because I am Gold Medallion on Delta, I now have the option of calling the medallion desk and upgrading into Delta Select (First Class) or Delta One (their highest category) using my air miles. All the way around this was a sweet deal for us. Even paying the air deviation fee, we are saving 75%+ booking air through Oceania. The flights went from $4,000 pp (booking ourselves) to $975 pp ($800 + the $175 air deviation fee).

One significant correction mybagsarepacked; the air is NOT part of O Life.  air is available whether or not you pay for O Life.  You have four choices when booking O; cruise only, cruise plus air and cruise plus air plus O Life or cruise plus O Life

 

Also don't understand your calculation.  Appears the $800 is for the O Life and the air is included with the cruise or O life. and you are in economy as there is a significant upcharge for Business usually.  As to upgrading, you may or may not be able to upgrade based on how O purchase the flight.  There are times when an O flight cannot be upgraded using air miles.  Also you appear to be comparing the $4000 for Comfort one way when you actually have Comfort only with the purchased flight.

 

Hope you can get the upgrade you are looking for if available from Delta based on upgrade availability and the terms of the ticked O is purchasing.  Could be a consolidator ticket or contracted ticket that is not upgradeable.  Good luck in any case.

[Paulchili]

mybagsarepacked - What Dave said.

Plus - if you have not made your final payment yet (you probably did) and you don't want the O Life you could cancel it and save the cost of O Life. If it's too late now, remember it for the future - you can book the cruise with air without O Life.

[StanandJim]

4 hours ago, mybagsarepacked said:

All the way around this was a sweet deal for us. Even paying the air deviation fee, we are saving 75%+ booking air through Oceania. The flights went from $4,000 pp (booking ourselves) to $975 pp ($800 + the $175 air deviation fee).

It is always best to price the Cruise with and without the Air.  Every so often Oceania Air is massively cheaper. 

[Kingofcool1947]

On 11/19/2018 at 9:05 AM, LHT28 said:

I just  tell my TA  what I want & she makes it happen

Why not just call O  & ask for the pricing  for the cruise only

 

Same here.  Go through your TA.

King

Edited February 9, 2019 by Kingofcool1947

[ORV]

So I don't understand where the $400pp back is coming from that bagrpacked mentioned. 

[mybagsarepacked]

The difference between the regular price and the "O" life was $1200. So we chose the O Life, that is where the $1200 comes from. We get $400 back pp when we chose the $800 shipboard credit per cabin as one of the 3 things to choose from (like the beverage package, or the optional tours). So we paid $1200 more, but got $400 back in shipboard credit, which nets back to $800.  I know you can book air through Oceania, but the regular fares are the fares for the cruise and do not include the R/T air. According to their documentation, at least, and according to our travel agent. If I am wrong and the regular fares include airfare, I was not aware of this, and their marketing materials aren't really clear on that, IMHO. 🙂

 

[ORV]

Actually when you do that you are just moving money from your right hand to your left. Read again what Rallydave said

[Paulchili]

O Life and air have ZERO connection to each other.

Cruise fares normally include round trip air whether you add O life or not. We never take air as we use miles - in that case we get air credit (deducted from the regular fare). Adding O Life (any of the 3 options) will add # of excursions X $100 (i.e. - if there are 6 excursions as part of O Life, the price with O Life will be $600 more than without O Life).

I hope that this helps.

Edited February 9, 2019 by Paulchili

[LHT28]

sometimes  we take the OBC  with the air   just  depends on what the air will cost to DIY

The air on a TA was better to use the O air

you have to do the math then do what works  for you

We do not  have FF  so have to pay   for our air out of our pockets

[Flatbush Flyer]

4 hours ago, mybagsarepacked said:

The difference between the regular price and the "O" life was $1200. So we chose the O Life, that is where the $1200 comes from. We get $400 back pp when we chose the $800 shipboard credit per cabin as one of the 3 things to choose from (like the beverage package, or the optional tours). So we paid $1200 more, but got $400 back in shipboard credit, which nets back to $800.  I know you can book air through Oceania, but the regular fares are the fares for the cruise and do not include the R/T air. According to their documentation, at least, and according to our travel agent. If I am wrong and the regular fares include airfare, I was not aware of this, and their marketing materials aren't really clear on that, IMHO. 🙂

 

"We need to talk..."

Not really "we" but, someone - preferably a different TA.

 

If, by "regular fare," you mean the "brochure price," well- no one pays that. 

If you mean the "cruise only" fare, note that the difference between that fare and the O Life fare is basically the air credit and "SOME" of the O Life SBC or other perk dollar value.

That said, do know that, if you will use the O Life perks, the O Life fare will pretty much always be a better value than the "cruise only" fare.

 

So, if you are "bottom lining" you savings, all you're really netting out of this is the difference between the "cruise only" price and the O Life price (minus the value of the air and your chosen perk).

 

If you want me to explain it further, it will cost you a cocktail on some future cruise.🍸 (Make that a double 🍸🍸).

Edited February 10, 2019 by Flatbush Flyer

[Mura]

I was trying to quote a comment about O's biz air add-on but wanted to read through to the end before I did, and then when I went back I couldn't find it! So I will say:

 

For open-jaw flights O could never beat biz air prices we found on our own (and since retirement we have some FF miles but not enough).  But there WAS one one-way flight after a TA where it was very advantageous to use O's air a few years ago.  I think that may have been a Heathrow-NYC flight but can't be positive.  I'm pretty sure it was ...

 

In general, upgrades to business using Oceania cost you much more than doing it on your own (even without FF miles).  But occasionally, especially if you're only talking one flight as opposed to two, it can work.

 

Of course, I'm talking about flights from NYC since that's where we live.  And I'm also talking flights to/from Europe.  For people who aren't in gateway airports, I doubt Oceania would ever beat what you can find on your own.

 

Mura

 

[LHT28]

I agree  Mura

I priced BUS class last year  r/t AMS  it was eye watering  

so checked  to see what O could do  for us

Needless to say  I saved enough to book a hotel & taxi fare  to DIY  😉

we so enjoyed the lie flat seats  I am now spoiled LOL

[pinotlover]

The secret to booking airfare anywhere is to watch for sales and set the alarms on ita matrix . Then when the great prices emerge, never hesitate. We’re flying round trip on AA BNA- LHR in biz this summer for $2200. Tickets often run $4K+. Sitting in Moorea now with rt US biz tickets that were lower $4K typically priced over $6K. Ita matrix, patience, and the will power to immediately jump when great deals appear are your friends.

Edited February 10, 2019 by pinotlover

[pinotlover]

4 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

deleted 

Edited February 10, 2019 by pinotlover

[Mura]

42 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

I agree  Mura

I priced BUS class last year  r/t AMS  it was eye watering  

so checked  to see what O could do  for us

Needless to say  I saved enough to book a hotel & taxi fare  to DIY  😉

we so enjoyed the lie flat seats  I am now spoiled LOL

The problem with booking higher suites is the same as booking business or better air fare ...

 

It's hard to go back to the "real world"!

 

Mura

 

 

[Paulchili]

47 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

Ita matrix, patience, and the will power to immediately jump when great deals appear are your friends.

My friend is collecting miles so that we can fly in business for free with miles (+ taxes). It’s very hard work and getting harder but boy-oh-boy is it ever worth it 😄

[pinotlover]

Paul;

 

I’m a big mileage point saver on AA and UA myself! Getting to use all those miles for biz seats is indeed getting harder all the time! 😫 

 

Ill conceived take overs such as US Air or Continental have made matters worse! AA should have let US Air go bankrupt and out of business then tried to pick up part of customers and routes they might want. For we long time AA customers, absolutely nothing positive has happened for us since that fiasco decision starting with inheriting all those pieces of crap A330s flying many of their European routes , added to all the old former US Air customers with huge banks of miles they could never use! 

[Paulchili]

18 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

Paul;

 

I’m a big mileage point saver on AA and UA myself! Getting to use all those miles for biz seats is indeed getting harder all the time! 😫 

 

Ill conceived take overs such as US Air or Continental have made matters worse! AA should have let US Air go bankrupt and out of business then tried to pick up part of customers and routes they might want. For we long time AA customers, absolutely nothing positive has happened for us since that fiasco decision starting with inheriting all those pieces of crap A330s flying many of their European routes , added to all the old former US Air customers with huge banks of miles they could never use! 

Amen - especially the AA fiasco.

[mybagsarepacked]

6 hours ago, Paulchili said:

Amen - especially the AA fiasco.

I agree. Once we saw the flights O had selected, and they were American, I was glad we paid the air deviation, and changed it all to Delta. 

I can upgrade directly with the Medallion desk and I don’t need to go to O for the upgrades. Our flights are all done and we are handled. AA used to be such a stellar airline 30-40 years ago. The last few times I flew them I said I would avoid using them again if at all possible.

[rallydave]

5 minutes ago, mybagsarepacked said:

 

I can upgrade directly with the Medallion desk and I don’t need to go to O for the upgrades. Our flights are all done and we are handled. 

Yes, understand your upgrade based on status and miles would only be direct with the airline.  Upgrades thru O are only for paid upgrades.   The possible problem with the upgrading is because all tickets are NOT upgradeable no matter your status or number of FF miles.  So it really matters how O has booked your flights and any restrictions therein.

[mybagsarepacked]

5 minutes ago, rallydave said:

Yes, understand your upgrade based on status and miles would only be direct with the airline.  Upgrades thru O are only for paid upgrades.   The possible problem with the upgrading is because all tickets are NOT upgradeable no matter your status or number of FF miles.  So it really matters how O has booked your flights and any restrictions therein.

Yep, absolutely. Our travel agent talked to O when we booked and explained the upgradeable class (higher than. K)  thing to them and they were very accommodating. 

[mybagsarepacked]

13 hours ago, Mura said:

The problem with booking higher suites is the same as booking business or better air fare ...

 

It's hard to go back to the "real world"!

 

Mura

 

 

 Mura, I just wanna say I love your profile pic. So cute. I have a B/W Maine Coon. Love your cats.