ChatKat and all:

If you live in a major hub city, you've got more than half of the problem of air to a cruise solved for you! Those of us out here in "fly over country" have a whole different set of problems, as Jim B. from Montana will attest. As a result of changes in the airline industry which happened in the 80s, we are now "second class citizens" as far as flying out of the country is concerned.

How does this relate to the original topic of this post about the benefits of Oceania? Ngaire's post elsewhere on this board relate the impossibilities of contacting a "real human being" when booking air through Oceania. How else could a TA convey the fact that a guest would prefer a six hour layover in Newark to having two flight changes before reaching the "intertnational hub" other than by talking to a "human being"? How could a TA convey the fact that a guest KNOWS from experience that certain flights are unreliable other than by talking to a "human being"?

Answer: the TA can't. And, with me, for Oceania that's too bad.

Thanks,
Richard