Another O air question

[kim826]

I originally booked my first Oceania cruise directly with Oceania but switched to a travel agent who offered additional onboard credit.  I added $199 premium economy coverage.  We are sailing out of Monte Carlo November 11 on the Marina and finishing up at Barcelona on November 23.  I asked my travel agent when I would get flight information.  They replied not until 70 days prior to the cruise.  Does that sound correct?  Can anyone shed some light on possible air carriers?  Thank you for any help!

[FlyerTalker]

In general, cruiseline arranged air comes after final payment is made, so 70 days out sounds reasonable.

 

As for possible carriers and routings - past experiences are at best a suggestion on what you might get.  It completely depends on what the current air contracts Oceania (or any cruiseline) have in force.  Also, it depends on the various tickets that the cruiseline needs to fulfill, and on the inventory levels that the contracts provide for - AND what the cruiseline has available to utilize.

 

Flying to Nice, you will certainly have to make a connection in Europe, as there are no non-stops from North America at that time of the year (and only seasonally from Montreal and New York).  And since you don't mention where you are coming from, I can't give any other thoughts.

[LHT28]

JMO

I would pay the deviation & fly in a day or more early  & if you can stay a bit after the cruise

You can then slelect the flights you want or ask what flights & routing you will get now

Why wait  for the big surprise  after final payment

YMMV

[bbtondo]

Check out the available flights on Travelocity or other sights. If you like the price and PE seats, etc.  you may want to book yourself.  A bird in the hand....

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ORV]

As has been mentioned, what airport are you flying from in the US?

[pinotlover]

Here’s another hint. Since you have elected to take the PE option, you might explore which airlines offer the PE option from your undisclosed home airport to Europe. If the answer is none, you will then be routed through a major hub to one in Europe. 

 

You will then fly regular Economy from your home airport to that US hub, Premium Economy across the pond to the International hub, then Economy again to Nice. 

 

In that true PE on US flagged carriers is so new and thus far so limited, I’m not sure if Oceania has yet contracted with any US flag carriers for that international service. Chances are very high you will be on a non US carrier for the international leg.

 

I would never wait until day 70 to see what is left for bulk rate tickets. If you want to use O Air , I would call them now to get flights and seat assignments that are acceptable to you.

[Hawaiidan]

2 hours ago, pinotlover said:

Here’s another hint. Since you have elected to take the PE option, you might explore which airlines offer the PE option from your undisclosed home airport to Europe. If the answer is none, you will then be routed through a major hub to one in Europe. 

 

You will then fly regular Economy from your home airport to that US hub, Premium Economy across the pond to the International hub, then Economy again to Nice. 

 

In that true PE on US flagged carriers is so new and thus far so limited, I’m not sure if Oceania has yet contracted with any US flag carriers for that international service. Chances are very high you will be on a non US carrier for the international leg.

 

I would never wait until day 70 to see what is left for bulk rate tickets. If you want to use O Air , I would call them now to get flights and seat assignments that are acceptable to you.

All the more reason to book direct with an airline and manage the reservation yourself   

[kim826]

Thank you everyone for your replies.  I'm sorry - I forgot to mention that I will be flying out of Chicago (which is the closest main hub offered).  I live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  I have already paid my cruise in full.  I see some have mentioned booking directly - how would that affect my O Life?  I had $600 onboard credit which I've used for excursions. I hope my questions are making sense.  This is our first time with Oceania so things are quite a bit different for me.

[kim826]

I did a quick look on Travelocity.  It looks like one way tickets ORD-NCE and Barcelona to ORD run about $1500 each for premium economy minimum, so about $3000 for each of us for airfare.  I'm guessing O will do better.

[Hawaiidan]

2 hours ago, kim826 said:

I did a quick look on Travelocity.  It looks like one way tickets ORD-NCE and Barcelona to ORD run about $1500 each for premium economy minimum, so about $3000 for each of us for airfare.  I'm guessing O will do better.

You can book O life without air fare.    what will O do for air?    Well look at the cruise with O life and Air  and you have your answer. for RT air.    I would never ever book through travelocity or Price line  or any other 3 ed party....   They own the ticket  not you !   you can not change  only they can...    USE the airline   and use Matrix as  we have described   

 

  ADD the $ 299 each way  ( $600 pp)     I would suspect you would fly ORD to IAD or EWR  in economy coach   then  IAD EWR/ to CDG. prem economy    then CDG- Nice regular economy   The same sort of route    3 flights going and 3 flights returning

Now...why not ask your Agent..or did you book direct with O ?      It is your first trip... you will make mistakes, learn from them.   Ask people on the ship what they did and who they used.   We all started like you... and it was a learning experience..   

[kim826]

Pulled out my invoice.  O air is $800 per person plus $298 for premium economy so that is better than what I can do on my own.  Just wish I could get the travel details earlier.  I tend to be a bit anal with planning.  Thanks again everyone!

[ORV]

If you do the air deviation to fly in early(which you should) or leave later, you can select your flights 270 days out. If you are paid in full you can go ahead and get your tickets booked, not just on request as Oceania generally does until 30 days out. The caveat is that if you decide to make a change before your cruise there will be a change fee. 

 

On another topic if you are using your OBC for excursions you could probably get more bang for your buck to chose the excursions instead of the OBC. 

 

Dan, there are non stop flights by multiple airlines every day from ORD to Europe. Even going with O and deviating and picking your own flights there is no need to do a connection. If helps if you have the deviation as a Loyalty perk, but I realize the OP doesn't. This would add $350 to their air cost. 

[Mura]

6 hours ago, kim826 said:

 I have already paid my cruise in full.  I see some have mentioned booking directly - how would that affect my O Life?  I had $600 onboard credit which I've used for excursions. I hope my questions are making sense.  This is our first time with Oceania so things are quite a bit different for me.

I did look at the answers I saw AFTER your question but didn't see anything addressing this specific question -- I may have missed it, but I suppose repetition won't be a problem!

 

Booking on your own will NOT affect your oLife choices.  You will get somewhat of a refund on your total cost (which could cause a problem since you've made final payment) but that might not be an unsurmountable problem.  I'm guessing here:  since your cruise isn't until November they could easily refund the air credit OR they might opt to give you more OBC.  Personally, I'd prefer the refund in such a case!  I know that when I have cancelled a cooking class or La Reserve dinner prior to a cruise, they have just given me a credit on my credit card. 

 

Had you opted out of the "free" air when you booked, you would have been quoted a fare that was slightly less, that's all.

 

Now, if you opted for deviation along with the "free" air, that could cause a problem ... I believe that the deviation fee is NOT refundable.

 

Good luck on figuring out a new system!  Welcome aboard.

 

Mura

 

 

[pinotlover]

How long is the OP’s cruise? I have a 20 dayer coming up and had PIF 5 months out. November is 6 months out! Never had to pay that far out. For a recent 12 day cruise it was only 90 days pre cruise.

[Mura]

People in to suites pay up much earlier.  It can depend on your cabin category as to just when you have final payment.

 

Mura

[Paulchili]

11 hours ago, kim826 said:

I had $600 onboard credit which I've used for excursions. 

Was this $600 OBC from your O Life?

If so, you can do better by choosing the “free” excursions option of the O Life rather than OBC.

Some of these included excursions can be up to $199 while your OBC is worth only $100/excursion.

Edited May 8, 2019 by Paulchili

[Hawaiidan]

On 5/7/2019 at 3:01 PM, ORV said:

If you do the air deviation to fly in early(which you should) or leave later, you can select your flights 270 days out. If you are paid in full you can go ahead and get your tickets booked, not just on request as Oceania generally does until 30 days out. The caveat is that if you decide to make a change before your cruise there will be a change fee. 

 

On another topic if you are using your OBC for excursions you could probably get more bang for your buck to chose the excursions instead of the OBC. 

 

Dan, there are non stop flights by multiple airlines every day from ORD to Europe. Even going with O and deviating and picking your own flights there is no need to do a connection. If helps if you have the deviation as a Loyalty perk, but I realize the OP doesn't. This would add $350 to their air cost. 

To Nice!!!!    Nonstop from ORD//      I fly  in that region a lot..... always a change in CDG or FRA   I would think that O would go for the cheapest which is not non stop      Correct me if I am wrong

[Mura]

We flew to Nice from NYC in May 2018.  We booked our own, business.  Flew to Brussels, then to Nice.  I HAD seen in early research (I think) what looked like a direct flight form NYC but that didn't happen.  So perhaps I am misremembering.

 

But we did NOT go non-stop.

 

Mura