Booking O Air/Hotel Options

[LGW59]

Hi All - Sorry if this has been asked before (I am sure it has) but I went back 12 pages and did not see it so thought I would go ahead and ask.  Just booked a cruise on Riviera Nov 2022, Monte Carlo to Venice, itinerary looks wonderful.  I think I am going to use O air to Monte Carlo and also use their hotel in Monte Carlo. Fairmont, but yikes the price, but hey it is MC!  From Venice we plan to go to Florence and Italy for one week following the cruise and will get our own air home from Rome.  My question is, your experience with O air, we will be flying premium, as well as using their hotel, especially transport from hotel to the ship.  Any other advice or insight you can provide is always much appreciated.  Happy 4th of July all!!!

Edited July 4, 2021 by LGW59

[LGW59]

Sorry a follow-up question.  I booked an O Alaska cruise for 2023 and used a wonderful travel consultant with O, I don't use a TA.  I am not allowed to say even his first name because, well I don't really know why, but I got chastised last time I did.  Anyway, those of you who do not use a TA and book direct, do you prefer using the O consultant or just make your own bookings on the website.  I've always booked directly on Celebrity but never had a personal consultant, I always get the CSR who is available at that time, they have usually also been quite helpful.  The fellow I have been working with for both the Alaska cruise and now the Med is truly fantastic.  He even called me today, the 4th of July, to follow-up on an inquiry I emailed to him last night!

Edited July 4, 2021 by LGW59

[PhD-iva]

I am glad that you are happy so far with the customer service you have received booking directly. While it has only happened to me twice in the past 15 years of cruising, twice there were very serious snafus (details unimportant) that would have cost thousands of $$$ if our TAs had not been able to use the leverage of their agency to go up the corporate ladder until the cruiseline fixed the serious issue (they were at fault). Neither occasion involved Oceania, but knock on wood….

Having a TA with some clout was instrumental in both 1. fixing the problem, and 2. saving me hours and hours of frustration.

[Flatbush Flyer]

4 hours ago, LGW59 said:

Sorry a follow-up question.  I booked an O Alaska cruise for 2023 and used a wonderful travel consultant with O, I don't use a TA.  I am not allowed to say even his first name because, well I don't really know why, but I got chastised last time I did.  Anyway, those of you who do not use a TA and book direct, do you prefer using the O consultant or just make your own bookings on the website.  I've always booked directly on Celebrity but never had a personal consultant, I always get the CSR who is available at that time, they have usually also been quite helpful.  The fellow I have been working with for both the Alaska cruise and now the Med is truly fantastic.  He even called me today, the 4th of July, to follow-up on an inquiry I emailed to him last night!

No TA? With O, that’s often like throwing money away. Many of the TAs that handle a lot of O bookings will share commissions. That could mean 4 figures in your pocket for the right cruise choice. Equally important, It’s nice to have a TA who has the regional sales rep as a speed dial.

Still love your O phone rep? Book with him and then transfer to your TA within the 30 day window and get the extra TA perks added.

[alcpa1]

Do your homework.

O air in a premium class might not be your best financial option. Then if you book your return with O after the land part you will pay an additional $175 per person deviation fee.

The hotel too will be more expensive than doing your own booking. Hotels in Monte Carlo are just a few minutes from the pier in a taxi unless it's during the prior two weeks to the road race when they are setting up barriers and stands, even then it's a short ride.

A cruise travel agent can assist you with air and hotels throughout your trip. 

In your case a travel agent will make your lives easier.

 

[LGW59]

16 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

No TA? With O, that’s often like throwing money away. Many of the TAs that handle a lot of O bookings will share commissions. That could mean 4 figures in your pocket for the right cruise choice. Equally important, It’s nice to have a TA who has the regional sales rep as a speed dial.

Still love your O phone rep? Book with him and then transfer to your TA within the 30 day window and get the extra TA perks added.

Thanks this is is exactly what I am going to do, been reading quite a bit of the value of a TA on CC, helpful information.  I just wanted to be sure I could snag the cabin that I want.