On Oceania’s ground transfers

I read the account of the traveler Michael Burge and his wife (March ’20, pg. 52), who took an around-Australia cruise with Oceania Cruises and felt that $109 per person, each way, was too much to pay for the cruise line’s airport/port transfers. They found alternative transportation.

I cruised with Oceania Cruises on the “Indian Ocean Odyssey,” which began Feb. 3, 2020, in Cape Town, South Africa, and was to end 28 days later in Singapore. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the scheduled ports in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore were changed to ports in Oman, with disembarkation in Dubai. I felt Oceania was very professional.

As for ground transfers, for anyone needing a transfer from the port in Dubai to the airport, Oceania charged $109.

During the cruise, however, I received an email from the cruise line stating that, beginning on cruises in 2021-2022, a new perk would be offered to anyone who booked their air (OLife Choice Airfare) through Oceania: inclusive round-trip airport ground transfers.

CAROL PEIM
Hendersonville, NC

Just for the record, ITN asked Mr. Burge if his travel agent had booked his airfare separately or through Oceania Cruises, and he replied, “Because we wanted to tack a New Zealand visit onto one end of our cruise, something which Oceania would not accommodate in their cruise promotion, we purchased our own air separately.”