Happy!

We requested an air deviation for our October 22 - 29 2014 Gems of Antiquity cruise. The three of us wanted to fly into Istanbul a day early, and depart from Athens 5 days after the cruise got in. My sister had priced out the cost of flights, and they came to about $1300. Oceania put us on the exact flights we wanted, for just the $175 pp deviation fee - no extra charge. With the $850 air allowance + the $175 air deviation fee, we feel that our "$1025" tickets are a real bargain! Hooray!

That's great! If others would really look into flights and learn what Oceania tends to approve for deviations, there would probably be more success stories and more happy passengers.

That's great! If others would really look into flights and learn what Oceania tends to approve for deviations, there would probably be more success stories and more happy passengers.

Good work by you and Oceania. Enjoy your cruise.

Okay, slightly late responding to this thread. Yes, if Oceania travelers knew exactly how Oceania booked flights, what flights were available, etc. they'd be a lot happier and more likely to get decent flights.

However, as far as I know, there are no "guidelines" that I can refer to that explains to me the how/why of Oceania's flight choices, etc. And, which flights are available are subject to how many of those seats Oceania has available to purchase on a given flight (so what they have available in Feb might not be available for folks getting their flights in July).

What I have learned through experience:

1) They won't even offer you flight options until your cruise is paid in full;

2) They don't choose your seats

3) Certain airlines that they may put you on will not allow you to select a seat (some will, if you pay the addt'l cost, but Oceania won't assist you with this)

4) Certain airlines will NEVER allow you to select a seat (e.g., Swiss Air)

5) Codeshares are problematic, e.g., Oceania tried to put me on Lufthansa via a United code share. Neither United nor Lufthansa would allow me to select seats or even assist me w/customer service questions. Each airline would refer me to the other. I finally went back to Oceania, who also would not help me. Eventually, I paid an additional $100 to switch to a different airline and then THAT airline allowed me to select my seats / upgrade my seats.

6) Some of the fares that Oceania gets are so low (and the category so low) that you cannot even pay to upgrade to Priority or Extra seats within economy cabins.

I'm so happy that it worked out for you. It did, eventually, work out for me and my group as well ($275/pp in fees). However, I'm not convinced that there is any "easy" way for people to know in advance all of the potential issues there may be when booking flights via Oceania, nor what they would offer for a given trip, nor which deviations they would "normally" approve.

So, for those of you like me for whom it was a hassle to get decent flights/seats, you're not alone.

However, I'm not convinced that there is any "easy" way for people to know in advance all of the potential issues there may be when booking flights via Oceania, nor what they would offer for a given trip, nor which deviations they would "normally" approve

On the Contrary. there is a VERY easy way!

By paying the Deviation Fee, the Passenger gets to choose the routing which Oceania will apply, and in the back and forth which necessarily accompanies such decision making, all of your concerns could have been addressed, including having your route decided well in advance of Final Payment.

You can't pay the deviation fee until your cruise is paid in full. And if you want to select seats and/or upgrade, you have to do this research yourself beforehand. Then from those "acceptable" airlines, you'd have to figure out what routes you want. Then call Oceania and then find out how much it will cost to use those airlines.

So, it's not just "pay a fee" and you're done. There's a lot more to it than that. And, again, you cannot even start the negotiations/process w/Oceania until your cruise is paid in full. So, flight and seat availability are much more limited by that time.

We requested an air deviation for our October 22 - 29 2014 Gems of Antiquity cruise. The three of us wanted to fly into Istanbul a day early, and depart from Athens 5 days after the cruise got in. My sister had priced out the cost of flights, and they came to about $1300. Oceania put us on the exact flights we wanted, for just the $175 pp deviation fee - no extra charge. With the $850 air allowance + the $175 air deviation fee, we feel that our "$1025" tickets are a real bargain! Hooray!

Nice, glad to see it worked out.

On 2 of our 6 Oceania cruises, we have used Oceania air. We checked the airline schedules and selected the airline, flights and timing to get us to the departure port early or to spend extra days in the disembarkation port

Our TA sent our preferences to Oceania who arranged our flights exactly as we had chosen. After this was confirmed, we immediately paid the deviation fee. In both cases, the arrangements were made long before final payment was due.

Cheers,

Don

You can't pay the deviation fee until your cruise is paid in full. And if you want to select seats and/or upgrade, you have to do this research yourself beforehand. Then from those "acceptable" airlines, you'd have to figure out what routes you want. Then call Oceania and then find out how much it will cost to use those airlines.

 

So, it's not just "pay a fee" and you're done. There's a lot more to it than that. And, again, you cannot even start the negotiations/process w/Oceania until your cruise is paid in full. So, flight and seat availability are much more limited by that time.

It is incredible .

You are completely incorrect about virtually everything that you say in this post.

Who told you ANY of this? :confused:

You can't pay the deviation fee until your cruise is paid in full.

Not so

I book my flight about 270 days out pay the deviation fee ...my final payment I pay at 120 or 90 days out depends on the length of the cruise

Maybe more investigation is required on your part on when you can book a deviation

yes if you want to upgrade to EC then you can pay in full & be ticketed

You can't pay the deviation fee until your cruise is paid in full. And if you want to select seats and/or upgrade, you have to do this research yourself beforehand.

I have paid the deviation fee prior to final payment. I select my flights as soon as airline schedules are available which is usually 330 days out. I provide these flights to my TA who submits them to Oceania. Once done, I select my seats on the airlines website.

Yes, you do not have to make final payment to get a deviation. I also did my flights through deviation 270 days out. Requested the flights and the days I wanted, Oceania got them with no extra fee. Made my seat selection as soon as Oceania said they made my reservations- 265 days out. Iceland Air and Delta. Then once I made my final payment, I asked Oceania to actually pay for my flights. I was then able to upgrade my flight category myself.

Okay, slightly late responding to this thread. Yes, if Oceania travelers knew exactly how Oceania booked flights, what flights were available, etc. they'd be a lot happier and more likely to get decent flights.

 

However, as far as I know, there are no "guidelines" that I can refer to that explains to me the how/why of Oceania's flight choices, etc. And, which flights are available are subject to how many of those seats Oceania has available to purchase on a given flight (so what they have available in Feb might not be available for folks getting their flights in July).

 

What I have learned through experience:

1) They won't even offer you flight options until your cruise is paid in full;

2) They don't choose your seats

3) Certain airlines that they may put you on will not allow you to select a seat (some will, if you pay the addt'l cost, but Oceania won't assist you with this)

4) Certain airlines will NEVER allow you to select a seat (e.g., Swiss Air)

5) Codeshares are problematic, e.g., Oceania tried to put me on Lufthansa via a United code share. Neither United nor Lufthansa would allow me to select seats or even assist me w/customer service questions. Each airline would refer me to the other. I finally went back to Oceania, who also would not help me. Eventually, I paid an additional $100 to switch to a different airline and then THAT airline allowed me to select my seats / upgrade my seats.

6) Some of the fares that Oceania gets are so low (and the category so low) that you cannot even pay to upgrade to Priority or Extra seats within economy cabins.

 

I'm so happy that it worked out for you. It did, eventually, work out for me and my group as well ($275/pp in fees). However, I'm not convinced that there is any "easy" way for people to know in advance all of the potential issues there may be when booking flights via Oceania, nor what they would offer for a given trip, nor which deviations they would "normally" approve.

 

So, for those of you like me for whom it was a hassle to get decent flights/seats, you're not alone.

On our recent cruise, I had my tickets and seats 270 days out for a portion of my flights and the connections, with seat assignments, came in shortly after that. I presume that when seat changes, upgrades & points enter in the mix it can get a bit complicated, but that is when a good TA factors in. There can be some back-n-forth when using O air but if a better deal is what we want then sometimes we might have to compromise, if there is no flexibility it may be better to book the flights on our own.

We have never had a problem with Oceania airfare. We work through our T/A who takes care of everything. As soon as the air booking becomes available -- well before final payment is due, we tell her our plans for pre and post cruise stays and it is all taken care of for us. We get the flights we want on days and times we want and our seat assignments are known long before our trip. She knows my husband and I prefer to sit together in a section of the plane with two seat configuration. I don't remember making a separate payment for the deviation fee - as far as I know there are a series of payments we make prior to our cruise. There has never been a problem and it all seems quite easy.

One of the most beneficial aspects of using a deviation is that you do not have to pay for the flights at the time they are reserved, as you would if you booked them yourself. Oceania will pay for them after your final payment. If there is any "overage" above what Oceania will pay, it will be included in your invoice at final payment. And, most important, if you have to cancel before final payment, you will not have flight cancellations to worry about.

Yes, you do have to pay the deviation fee at the time the deviation is accepted, and it's a non-refundable administrative fee, but to me it's worth every penny.

Lynn is correct that any upgrades, such as Economy Plus, cannot be implemented until the flight is ticketed. In normal circumstances, that will not happen until after the normal final payment. However, it is possible to make your final payment early and ask Oceania to buy your tickets. Of course, you lose the cancellation benefit I mentioned above.

On the Contrary. there is a VERY easy way!

 

 

 

By paying the Deviation Fee, the Passenger gets to choose the routing which Oceania will apply, and in the back and forth which necessarily accompanies such decision making, all of your concerns could have been addressed, including having your route decided well in advance of Final Payment.

I admit that I haven't read the entire thread. Nonetheless, what must be remembered is that the "fare basis" used by the cruise line, or even if done by the traveler, may severely limit (or prohibit) upgrades. Also, even if upgrades are possible (including using FF miles), "fare basis" can add all sorts of different company's to the mix. This is particularly true for Star Alliance members.

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I admit that I haven't read the entire thread. Nonetheless, what must be remembered is that the "fare basis" used by the cruise line, or even if done by the traveler, may severely limit (or prohibit) upgrades. Also, even if upgrades are possible (including using FF miles), "fare basis" can add all sorts of different company's to the mix. This is particularly true for Star Alliance members.

 

 

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Autocorrect strikes again. I meant "copays" not "company's".

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I admit that I haven't read the entire thread. Nonetheless, what must be remembered is that the "fare basis" used by the cruise line, or even if done by the traveler, may severely limit (or prohibit) upgrades. Also, even if upgrades are possible (including using FF miles), "fare basis" can add all sorts of different company's to the mix. This is particularly true for Star Alliance members.

 

 

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Yes, but what you must remember is that the Deviation requests are handled individually, personally and before the passenger is economically obligated.

Telling Oceania from the get-go that you need an upgrade-able ticket is the best way to handle it. They cannot provide one 100% of the time, but they are surprisingly accommodating.

We run our "grand plan" for upgrades past the Oceania Air Agent, let them figure the why's and wherefores and make a decision based on the final outcome.

Wonderfully simple!

We accepted our air deviation this week for an April 2015 cruise. Today I noticed that the seat assignments had been made and they're really quite good. Can I expect those seat assignments to stay the same though we've not made our final payment?

We accepted our air deviation this week for an April 2015 cruise. Today I noticed that the seat assignments had been made and they're really quite good. Can I expect those seat assignments to stay the same though we've not made our final payment?

Seats on airlines are always subject to change depending on the airline needs and other airline happenings such as changes to the airplanes themselves where the seating is different from the current airplane.

Final payment should not make any difference to the airline that assigned the seats. No guarantees however it is probable that the seat assignments will remain the same.

We accepted our air deviation this week for an April 2015 cruise. Today I noticed that the seat assignments had been made and they're really quite good. Can I expect those seat assignments to stay the same though we've not made our final payment?

I have learned to periodocally go in a check our reservations. As OP mentioned, seat assignments sometimes are changed by the airlines and you do not know it. I learned the hard way when ours we changed due to the change in type of plane; we were not notified. Doesn't take long to do it - I usually do about once a month and on a couple of occasions have been glad I did.