Hotels - Istanbul, Barcelona & Deviation Policy

[Takyla]

We started this thread and it's interesting to see how many are going the deviation route. We first heard about the "d" policy last year. We had cruised with "O" on Insignia's inaugural cruise from Barcelona to Athens in April '04. Everything was perfect except the flight arrangements from LAX to Frankfurt.

We received our cruise package with airline tix about 3-4 weeks before our cruise date and when we called Lufthansa to book seats, we were told that all flight arrangements had been transferred to the airport and no pre flight booking was allowed. Seat assignments would be given at the airport on the day of the flight. We arrived 3 hours before flight departure and found that there were German tour groups heading home on that flight and that they had blocked out over 100 seats. There were 3 couples in our party and we were the only couple that didn't have to sit apart the entire flight. It wasn't much fun and didn't leave a good first impression. However the cruise was wonderful, great ship, great crew and we all vowed we would cruise with "O" again, but figure out some way to avoid the flying problem we had encountered.

 

One of the 3 couples cruised last year on Regatta and they took the rebate and made their own flying arrangements and it worked out very well for them.

 

We enquired through out T/A about doing the same thing on our 11/10 - 11/24 cruise this year and with the rebate for flying, plus all the airport taxes, etc, etc., it came to almost $1,000 each. When we attempted to book our own flights, it would cost more and the major setback, we couldn't get a flight from Frankfurt, London, Rome, Zurich or any other major city to Istanbul to make a connection with the cruise. Believe me we tried, everything was blocked out. So we had our T/A go back to "O" and request a deviation (arriving a couple of days before departure and returning home a couple of days after the end of the cruise) "O" came back with an offer of flights that worked perfectly, we had 24 hours to confirm, we did and requested seats for our party of 6 and the next day they gave us confirmation of our requested seats for our party of 6. We did all this around April 1st, over 7 months before we leave.

 

I'd suggest that you get your T/A's involved, they can work this out. Sorry it's lengthy, but wanted to explain why we did it and our results.

 

Ray Cole

[Penzance]

After chasing my online TA for the past few weeks, I finally received our Air Deviation Information concerning flights and times. Unhappily, our flight to Istanbul leaves L.A. extremely early and has two stops with change of planes which can mean more chances of losing luggage. After disembarkation, we have planned to stay in Athens an extra two nights. Oceania has booked our return flight from Athens airport leaving at 6:15am and it is suggested that we need to be at the airport 3 hours prior to departure. Does anyone know, if this is correct and how far it is from the Plaka area hotel to the airport? We are thinking we may have to rise at 1:30am to shower, change, get taxi and leave the hotel by 2:30am - in which case it seems a waste to book a hotel room for that night. Can anyone share their experience with very early morning flight departures from Athens please.

[LHT28]

After chasing my online TA for the past few weeks, I finally received our Air Deviation Information concerning flights and times.

 

If you are doing the air deviation you can choose the flights you want. It may cost you a bit more or not depending on the routing.

Have you checked for flights that suit your schedule better?

I found this on Kayak with AA

LAX 8:35p IST 11:15p

ATH 9:20a LAX 6:35p

Just an example of flights you may want to check out other options and if you have not accepted O's flights just book your own.

[Penzance]

Thank you LHT28, for some reason I was under the impression that Oceania only dealt with United Airlines and/or their alliances. I have now found many flights that are far more suitable but, I think the extra cost may be prohibitive. It is hard to find a flight that departs LAX at a reasonable time, meaning between 9am and noon and has only one change of plane yet leaves enough time between flights incase of a delay, and all within the cost that Oceania has in mind. And, the same with our flight from Athens back to Los Angeles.

 

I am also going to ask my online TA to see what she can do for us in the way of getting more suitable flights.

[LHT28]

It is hard to find a flight that departs LAX at a reasonable time, meaning between 9am and noon and has only one change of plane yet leaves enough time between flights incase of a delay, and all within the cost that Oceania has in mind. And, the same with our flight from Athens back to Los Angeles.

 

 

I would look at flight leaving later in the evening they are a bit cheaper and usually have a connection in Europe. EG:8:45 pm connecting at Heathrow

Look at flying in a day or so earlier just in case of any delays

Do a search on Kayak.com for the flights that suit you then submit them to your TA to check with Oceania

I don't think I would like the 2 stops either.

 

Lyn

[potterhill]

Kayak is great! Last week when I was trying to book flights from Toronto to Mombasa Kenya for Dec 27 to Jan 12, I had two agents tell me they couldn't get what I wanted. Yet I could find it on Kayak. Armed with flight #'s from Kayak, she was finally able to get it. The RCI agent I was trying for the first time was hopeless. Different days, 12 hour layovers and the only airline I refuse to fly on.

 

I think we have a 20 hour flight going and 25 coming home which is excellent. Most flights are around 33 hours.

 

I never actually tried to book through Kayak because usually American sites block out Canadians. I think next time I will though. At least try...Anyone know if Canadians are blocked from booking through them?

 

Mo

[LHT28]

I never actually tried to book through Kayak because usually American sites block out Canadians. I think next time I will though. At least try...Anyone know if Canadians are blocked from booking through them?

 

Mo

I just use them for researching the flights then get my TA to book them.

I think you can book through Expedia or travelocity.ca but I prefer a real person to deal with any problems.

also check the airline's website

[Benita]

I just tried to use Kayak for flights from Miami to Tanzania. There were over 400 flights that came up, all of them way more expensive and with more connections than the flights I booked myself. Is there something that I am missing (or that Kayak is as none of the 400 suggestions were the ones that I chose)?

[LHT28]

I just tried to use Kayak for flights from Miami to Tanzania. There were over 400 flights that came up, all of them way more expensive and with more connections than the flights I booked myself. Is there something that I am missing (or that Kayak is as none of the 400 suggestions were the ones that I chose)?

There is a filter on the left side that you can choose the number of stops, time frame for departure/ arrival, airlines you want to use

Or after you put in the airports & dates after the search there is a tab "Matrix" you can then check each airlines price.

 

 

another site

http://matrix.itasoftware.com/cvg/dispatch/prego;jsessionid=E7A8916F451753095B6693A7579A14F7

[wripro]

Penzance,

 

One of the problems may be that you are dealing with an online TA whom you have to chase. It's always better to work with a real person you can reach at any time. For every dollar you may save (and you usually don't) it costs twice as much in aggravation.

[Benita]

LHT- I tried the site you mentioned and was able to find the flights. I had booked them through Martinair, which is partially owned by KLM. The entire flight (roundtrip from Miami to Tanzania) was $1600 a person. If I used the matrix site and built the flight by segments, the price is $7180 a person, also coach. Since Martinair and KLM are related and it is not like buying two separate tickets, I don't understand the price differential between buying the tickets from the airline, vs the internet companies.

I know this is off the beaten track from an Oceania question, but figured maybe somebody understands this.

[LHT28]

. If I used the matrix site and built the flight by segments, the price is $7180 a person, also coach. Since Martinair and KLM are related and it is not like buying two separate tickets,.

 

I don't understand what you mean by using the matrix to build the flight segments I just entered MIA to DAR and it gave a routing all on 1 ticket.

Glad you found a good price though.

 

Lyn

[Benita]

Lyn, Kilimanjaro is JRO. The only way I could find my flights was building it by segment. When the site tried to put it on one ticket, none of their combinations included both the nonstop from Miami to Amsterdam and nonstop Amsterdam to JRO, they all had plane changes. Oh well, I never will argue with success.

[LHT28]

Lyn, Kilimanjaro is JRO. The only way I could find my flights was building it by segment.

Ok got it now !!!:D

I just used DAR as an example I guess they have better connection to there than JRO

 

Enjoy your trip

 

Lyn

[Penzance]

I agree with you WRIPRO - but I can't find a good TA that is patient and helpful. The last couple of people I tried, I found I knew more than they did by doing my own research.

 

What I've done now is to research some websites, Kayak included, found three more suitable flights to/from, and presented them to the online TA for her to check with Oceania. I have a feeling that the type of suite you book on the ship may take priority on which flights they offer. I hope to be able to report favourable news as soon as I get a reply from her next week.

[LHT28]

What I've done now is to research some websites, Kayak included, found three more suitable flights to/from, and presented them to the online TA for her to check with Oceania. I have a feeling that the type of suite you book on the ship may take priority on which flights they offer. I hope to be able to report favourable news as soon as I get a reply from her next week.

 

Did you submit flights to your TA when you booked the deviation ? or just let her or O choose them?

This is what we were trying to tell you in earlier posts......

research several options that suit your needs then submit them to the TA to forward to O,

Only give 1 or 2 options at a time.

Oceania will pick one that does not cost more 1st...if there is a surcharge they will let your TA know & you can accept it or not.

 

Good luck with the new choices

[Penzance]

I did inform the TA of our plan to arrive in Istanbul two nights prior to embarkation and to stay two extra nights on disembarkation. She did not mention that I should suggest preferred flights and told me that nothing could be done until 270 days prior to the end of the cruise and then she could submit the requested dates. But, on Friday she sent me the Air Deviation confirmation from Oceania (dated 21Sept so it seems she received the form two weeks ago) with the flights and times already pending. What I thought strange was that in the small print at the bottom of their form, it says I must reply within 48 hours of the dated Air Deviation confirmation.

 

I am finding this air deviation policy quite distasteful. We'll see what happens when she receives my email tomorrow.

[LHT28]

. What I thought strange was that in the small print at the bottom of their form, it says I must reply within 48 hours of the dated Air Deviation confirmation.

 

I am finding this air deviation policy quite distasteful. We'll see what happens when she receives my email tomorrow.

 

Your TA should have contacted you when she received the flight info .

I think your TA messed up

Did you have to pay a surcharge or just the $75. deviation fee?

[Penzance]

So far, just the $75 per for the change of dates. Now there will a surcharge because the flights that Oceania offer are totally unsuitable? Well. let's hope they are not astronomical and cut into our budget too much.

 

It does sound like my TA is incompetent. She told me she had sent the Air Deviation form to me the day after she received it - but I think she was fibbing. I was so eager to know about our flights that I was checking my Spam too.

[Golfette]

Penzance - I heartily sympathize with you. I hope it all turns out well.

 

We are booked 1st time on O next year. We have not flown since 9/11 & are both rather frightened about flying. I have a few questions which I hope someone can answer:

 

1. We got a Merrill Lynch Visa specifically to earn points for air fare. Merrill Lynch has a "Travel Consultant" to do bookings for you using the points that you accumulate. Has anyone had any experience using this type of "system?"

 

2. Approximately how long does a flight from LAX take to Barcelona & from Rome to LAX? One thread mentioned something like 33 hours??? Is that (I hope) both ways?

[Penzance]

Thank you for your concern Golfette. My husband and I have flown many times since 9/11 - we were determined not to let the terrorist buzzards spoil our lives :-) Just be prepared for long lines, delays and no free booze and/or food on the flights :-(

 

I thought about using our airline miles for our flights but when I checked, I found it impossible to get good flights going from LAX to one City and back from another. They were considered one way flights and required far more miles. Maybe your "Travel Consultant" can weave magic with your mileage?

 

I found Orbitz website much easier to use if you just want to check flights, dates, length of journey and times to/from Europe. The flight from LAX to a hub in Europe is usually between 10 - 12 hours and then another few hours flight from the hub to Spain or Italy. I think the 33 hours you mention may be for both ways and include the waittime between flights.

 

Hope I have been of some help.

[Takyla]

Golfette, our flight from LAX to Frankfurt was 10 hours non stop, a 4 hour layover and on to Barcelona was 2 hours. The 33 hour ordeal must be both ways including any layovers.

 

We are leaving LAX bound for Istanbul at 2:40 PM, arrive in Frankfurt at 10:15 AM (1:15AM LA time) leave for Istanbul at 1:40 PM and arrive at 5:25 PM. They are 10 hours ahead of LA. Now DST ends before we leave and now I'm hopelessly confused.

[Golfette]

Thanks Penzance & Takyla! Appreciate your comments.

 

Takyla, what did you do with the 4 hour layover? No place go go & grab a nap is there? Sounds ghastly!

[Penzance]

Takyla: Your flight from LAX to Frankfurt then onto Istanbul, is the one I have suggested to my TA. It was the best choice of all the flights I researched. Germany is usually 9 hours ahead of Calif - so maybe they have already included the time change? If the airline is Lufthansa, they still serve dinner and free drinks :-)

[suzieque]

Can you use your airline miles to upgrade from Oceania air if you use the deviation and choose flights from your airline mileage company (like United?)

I was told I couldn't, so I cancelled the "free air" and booked my own flights with miles.

It's 80K per person for business class. But I got great flights and am going the opposite itinerary to yours. First to Barcelona, then returning from Istanbul. The combination is SFO to Frankfurt on United,then to Barcelona on Lufthansa, and Lufthansa from Istanbul to Frankfurt, and United Frankfurt to SFO. The only leg that business wasn't available yet is Lufthansa Istanbul to Frankfurt. They haven't opened up any award tickets on that leg, so we are in economy for that leg. Would have preferred to use deviation and upgrades, but I was told that wasn't possible because the fares Oceania negotiates aren't upgradeable. Did I get the wrong info??

Suzie