Thanks for the great advice

[schmerl]

My sister booked our cruise and had the airfare added through O. I would have advised her differently, but she didn't ask. 

We are flying business class. I read what everyone here wrote about that and went on line to find flights. I called today and had the air taken off our O booking.  I found us great flights and saved $1600 PER PERSON by booking the flights ourselves. 

[alfagee]

I took that advice, too. I was able to find first class airfare for less than Oceania wanted for business class.

[Flatbush Flyer]

11 minutes ago, schmerl said:

My sister booked our cruise and had the airfare added through O. I would have advised her differently, but she didn't ask. 

We are flying business class. I read what everyone here wrote about that and went on line to find flights. I called today and had the air taken off our O booking.  I found us great flights and saved $1600 PER PERSON by booking the flights ourselves. 

YES!!!

 

What lots of folks don't realize about O's supplied air is that, if you don't take the air credit and DIY, but you want bizclass instead of economy (or the occasionally provided "economy plus"), the value of that economy ticket is NOT subtracted from the cost of the bizclass ticket. In essence then, you're paying for both the economy ticket AND the bizclass ticket if you buy it from Oceania (and, I assume, NCL or perhaps even Regent [when the tix aren't already bizclass] which all now share the same air arrangements operation).

 

Fortunately, whenever I've called O's air department to look at bizclass pricing, every agent has said it's better to take the air credit and DIY bizclass (or even "baby bizclass" like United's Premium Plus).

 

FWIW, always check the ITA Matrix website when you're looking to compare tix prices!

Edited December 27, 2019 by Flatbush Flyer

[LHT28]

R/T  air in PE or BUS  is usually  better to DIY

 Where  the cruise line air works is one ways to/from Europe  for some routes

You have to do the research & math to see what works best  for your situation

JMO

 

[schmerl]

I managed to find a direct flight to Stockholm. Coming home from Oslo we have to change planes in Copenhagen. The direct flight was too early for us to make it in time. 

  When I spoke to the O rep they said there would probably be at least one plane change if they booked it.

This way I'm in charge of my travel rather than someone else.