Are these air deviation fees typical??

[karscott]

Hi there,

 

I just learned that Oceania (which we're trying for the first time after cruising with RC/Princess and Celebrity in past years) is charging $299 per person air deviation fees. My TA says that although she disagrees with the extra fees, "all cruise lines are doing this". We have a S. Caribbean cruise booked for December and simply want to arrive in Bridgetown the day before the cruise instead of 2:20pm on the day of embarkation. You know how it goes with delays, cancelled flights and winter storms... as it is, we have to overnight in Toronto to get there.

 

The thought of having to pay $600 on top of hotel costs in both TO and Bridgetown makes me feel ill. We're already shelling out enough for this cruise. My TA said she did the calculations and that it's still more cost-effective to book the flights through Oceania than to do it independently.

 

Does anyone have any insight into air deviation fees and policy? 

 

TIA

Karen

[LHT28]

yes  they are normal with Oceania

If you want to trust them with choosing your flights   they have a new program where you can fly in/out up to 3 days  without charge

 

 If you want to choose the flights/routing then  the  non refundable fee applies once you & O come to an agreement on the flights

[karscott]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

yes  they are normal with Oceania

If you want to trust them with choosing your flights   they have a new program where you can fly in/out up to 3 days  without charge

 

 If you want to choose the flights/routing then  the  non refundable fee applies once you & O come to an agreement on the flights

Thanks for this info, @LHT28. I can't find anything on their web site about the new program. Can you tell me where this is stated??

 

Karen

[LHT28]

30 minutes ago, karscott said:

Thanks for this info, @LHT28. I can't find anything on their web site about the new program. Can you tell me where this is stated??

 

Karen

It was posted on the Oceania forum

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2919950-new-air-option/#comment-64939583

 

Check with Oceania or your TA

 

[karscott]

2 hours ago, LHT28 said:

It was posted on the Oceania forum

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2919950-new-air-option/#comment-64939583

 

Check with Oceania or your TA

 

Thanks - I'm checking with my TA and hoping that it applies to Canadians as well!

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, karscott said:

Thanks - I'm checking with my TA and hoping that it applies to Canadians as well!

I am sure it does  😉

 

You can always just to the cruise only fare & book your own flights

Do the math  then decide

[Middleager]

With NCL, they give U$25 credit if you choose deviation of 1 or 2 days.  If we do the b1g1 airfare with NCL, we always do a 2-day deviation on the way to cruise.

[CDNPolar]

Practical sense suggests that cruise lines make contract deals with airlines for the majority of people flying in on embarkation day and the majority of people flying out on debarkation day.

 

If you want to come or go a different day, AND you are not buying their pre or post extension, then you will pay a slightly higher fee because it is outside their contract dates.

 

We have found that we can do pre and post cheaper than what most cruise lines offer - much cheaper - and we also find that the air can be cheaper buying on our own... the only downside is you have to arrange your own transfers to the ship.

 

Also, if the cruise line will 'manage' the air if there are changes/cancelations, then you have an advantage over buying air on your own.

 

We have absolutely paid deviation fees before and probably will again, but it all comes down to circumstance for us.

[karscott]

Our TA just confirmed that there will be no air deviation fee applied for flying in a day early. Thanks again @LHT28 for the information. We end up losing a transfer in the process but that's minimal in the whole scheme of things. 

 

Karen

[LHT28]

38 minutes ago, karscott said:

Our TA just confirmed that there will be no air deviation fee applied for flying in a day early. Thanks again @LHT28 for the information. We end up losing a transfer in the process but that's minimal in the whole scheme of things. 

 

Karen

Glad it worked out   you are still at their mercy on the flights they give you 

I prefer to pay the fee & pick my flights

 Taxis  are usually not that expensive 😉

 

Enjoy the cruise 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

With Celebrity there is no charge 

For our Rome TA in November we getting in 6 days early