After final payment - Too late to book air with Oceania?

[Iamthesea]

DH and I cannot find decent airfare for our Oceania Vista cruise on the 9th of March.  We are talking figures of $600 - $800pp or more for Premium Economy, and $1000 - $1500pp or more for First class.  The better of those rates are at times we least prefer (arriving/departing Miami late afternoon or evening.)   This is even if we drive to ATL (from NE TN) before flying out.  Very frustrating!!!  Normally, we can get Premium Economy airfare from our home airport to FLL or MIA for around $350pp.  I think at the most it has been $450pp.  And with perfect times!  We have looked at several options and the planes don't appear to be full.

 

Oceania's allotment for air is $700pp for our cruise.  Since we have never booked air through any cruise line, is that figure a starting point?    For instance, lowest Economy without seat assignment? Or are seats assigned?  I guess my biggest question is if we can change our booking to include the air since we are after final payment.  The cruise is 6 weeks out.  Also, is there a way to check for Oceania's air offering online?  See what is available without having to go through a booking?  We can do that with Celebrity and Holland America, but I cannot find a link for Oceania.

[jazznruby]

CAN I ADD AIR TO MY RESERVATION?

 

Updated June 29, 2018

Yes, you may add air to your reservation when you make your initial reservation or up to 30 days prior to sail date for existing reservations. A change fee of $150.00 per guest will be assessed for guests who wish to change a booking from cruise only to include cruise and air travel after final payment up to 30 days. Air requests within 60 days of your departure date may be requested but not guaranteed.

 

 

 

From FAQ on the O site. There's no way to research air options on the site. Have to go through TA or call O. Or find what you want and request custom air deviation.

Edited January 26 by jazznruby

[Flatbush Flyer]

On 1/26/2024 at 2:54 PM, Iamthesea said:

DH and I cannot find decent airfare for our Oceania Vista cruise on the 9th of March.  We are talking figures of $600 - $800pp or more for Premium Economy, and $1000 - $1500pp or more for First class.  The better of those rates are at times we least prefer (arriving/departing Miami late afternoon or evening.)   This is even if we drive to ATL (from NE TN) before flying out.  Very frustrating!!!  Normally, we can get Premium Economy airfare from our home airport to FLL or MIA for around $350pp.  I think at the most it has been $450pp.  And with perfect times!  We have looked at several options and the planes don't appear to be full.

 

Oceania's allotment for air is $700pp for our cruise.  Since we have never booked air through any cruise line, is that figure a starting point?    For instance, lowest Economy without seat assignment? Or are seats assigned?  I guess my biggest question is if we can change our booking to include the air since we are after final payment.  The cruise is 6 weeks out.  Also, is there a way to check for Oceania's air offering online?  See what is available without having to go through a booking?  We can do that with Celebrity and Holland America, but I cannot find a link for Oceania.

With the understanding that the prices you are seeing this close to embarkation are actually “decent” in this day and age, 

know that the Price difference between air/no air only demonstrates what credit you’d get for DIY. And that $700 is not the cost of the O Air coach tix (the value of which could be more or less than that amount.

If you want O Air, you’ll be offered what they’ve got for routing with their contract carrier. If you don’t like it, you can pay a deviation fee (and any price difference from the initially offered flights’ fare) and tell them what carrier and itinerary you want.

All that said, I recommend taking the air credit and DIYing it - particularly if you want bizclass (since O’s upgrade cost for bizclass is over and above the coach fare that’s built into the “with air” fare. AND, you’ll get no credit for the original tix purchased!

As for the future: when it comes to air travel,  cheaper is seldom better, at, least, if you want non-stops, adequate layovers, FF points, etc.

[Hlitner]

Air prices have soared (pun intended), especially for Premium Economy (not impressive on domestic flights), Biz or First.  For shorter domestic (under 4 hours) we normally just fly Southwest who usually has decent economy prices with no extra fees for 2 pieces of luggage.  As much as we like Business/First on longer flights, we do not see it as worth the money on shorter hops.

 

Friends of ours just flew from JFK to PVR (Puerto Vallarta).  They are used to flying domestic First, but this time it would have cost them about $4000 more than just flying JetBlue.  Guess what they did?  LOL.

 

Hank

[mauibabes]

How about forgetting ANY flights and making it a 2 day road trip? After all, you are only in TN. All the airline prices are “sky high” yes that pun was intended as well. For a short flight, forget the PE or FC, just get there and enjoy your 18 days on Vista.  Use that $700 from airfare for a nice hotel room or time in Miami before you sail. 
I always hate the west coast flights to Miami because nothing is direct from Northern California. We just did it in October and I always suffer scheduling angst if flights have to go near “Snow” country airports or others that are subject to the next big storm.  🤬🤬

Enjoy Vista, she is amazing.

Mauibabes

[shepherd really]

34 minutes ago, mauibabes said:

How about forgetting ANY flights and making it a 2 day road trip? After all, you are only in TN. All the airline prices are “sky high” yes that pun was intended as well. For a short flight, forget the PE or FC, just get there and enjoy your 18 days on Vista.  Use that $700 from airfare for a nice hotel room or time in Miami before you sail. 
I always hate the west coast flights to Miami because nothing is direct from Northern California. We just did it in October and I always suffer scheduling angst if flights have to go near “Snow” country airports or others that are subject to the next big storm.  🤬🤬

Enjoy Vista, she is amazing.

Mauibabes

This ^

 

I live in Western North Carolina and drove straight through in one day to Miami last January.  Twelve hours doesn't faze me but taking two days is easy and way cheaper than flights even with parking, hotel and food expenses added in.

Edited January 28 by shepherd really