Air2Sea - Post your price - vs - Price booking direct - International only

Ok, everyone says booking with Air2Sea on international flights will get you best price, and so I did, but with research

Roundtrip on Delta/Air France from Miami to Amsterdam. For two people

Air2Sea = $1649.00

Direct booking = $2799.00

Same flight numbers, same trip, same everything. Going was on Delta, and return on Air France. Prices were posted all on the same day.

Now it's your turn, share you prices. Give any reason, why you should not book with a cruise line travel agent? $1100.00 is an awful amount of money difference

As discussed here frequently, while that is a significant price difference, you are not taking into consideration the actual and potentially considerable difference in restrictions on the fare. It is quite likely, for example, that if anything happens to the flight, you will probably be the lowest priority for rebooking.

Two items:

First, it is much easier if pricing is presented in terms of per person.

Second, since you don't present us with dates, it's difficult to provide relevant assistance.

I'm not quite sure what your "research" has been, or with what tools. Since you didn't provide any dates, I just plugged in for a 12 night stay in AMS for next May. Found many days with round-trip pricing in the $550-$650 range. So I have NO idea where that inflated DL number comes from.

Two items:

 

First, it is much easier if pricing is presented in terms of per person.

 

Sorry, I'm an accountant so division comes easy:

$1649 for two = 824.50 for one

$2799 for two = 1399.50 for one.

 

 

 

Second, since you don't present us with dates, it's difficult to provide relevant assistance.

 

I wasn't looking for assistance! I was making a statement that said, that booking with the cruise line is cheaper. The topic is saving money, and pointing out the benefits of saving money by booking with the cruise line travel department.

 

I'm not quite sure what your "research" has been, or with what tools. Since you didn't provide any dates, I just plugged in for a 12 night stay in AMS for next May. Found many days with round-trip pricing in the $550-$650 range. So I have NO idea where that inflated DL number comes from.

Yes, you can find even cheaper airlines online, but some of them have extended layovers, etc that did not fit my needs. I wasn't talking about the cheapest, or the strangest or the rock bottom price.

My comparison for discussion was "apple to apple". Same day, time, flight, and seat. Exactly the same. First booking was with the cruise line price. The second was on the web-page of the airline. Other words, no research, because it was a comparison of how the travel agent, air2sea has much cheaper prices.

the price difference is $1099 or take that number, divide by two and it is $549.50 per person. Most people travel in two's, and like many people, I want to know the bottom line for two people. That's what is coming out of my wallet. I understand some people would rather of a single person price, and times it by two, but I guess not everyone will be happy that way either. Sorry.

So let's go back to the discussion. If you feel you saved money by booking with the cruise line, share your experience and examples. If you feel you got a better deal on your own, share those also. This is to help people figure out the best way to book International flights. (not my trip, but many trips, and trends by the cruise critic members).

As discussed here frequently, while that is a significant price difference, you are not taking into consideration the actual and potentially considerable difference in restrictions on the fare. It is quite likely, for example, that if anything happens to the flight, you will probably be the lowest priority for rebooking.

OK, but air2Sea gives you assured arrival to your cruise, and have a support line to make sure they manage the changes in the even if something happens. For a savings of $549 per person, in my case, I think the risk is just fine, in particular because I'm arriving 3 days early and my return trip, I don't care if something happens, as long as I make it home. :D

Ok, everyone says booking with Air2Sea on international flights will get you best price, and so I did, but with research

 

Roundtrip on Delta/Air France from Miami to Amsterdam. For two people

 

Air2Sea = $1649.00

Direct booking = $2799.00

 

Same flight numbers, same trip, same everything. Going was on Delta, and return on Air France. Prices were posted all on the same day.

 

Now it's your turn, share you prices. Give any reason, why you should not book with a cruise line travel agent? $1100.00 is an awful amount of money difference

You should also check Air2Sea as two one-way flights as opposed to a round trip. You might it less expensive.

 

My comparison for discussion was "apple to apple". Same day, time, flight, and seat. Exactly the same.

 

 

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Here is where you missed the point. You absolutely might not be comparing "apple to apple." Just because you are on the same airplane does not mean it is "exactly the same." Your TICKET might be very different from the $1399.50 ticket bought directly from the airline. Unless you also provide the fare basis for each of the tickets, there's no way to compare.

Here is where you missed the point. You absolutely might not be comparing "apple to apple." Just because you are on the same airplane does not mean it is "exactly the same." Your TICKET might be very different from the $1399.50 ticket bought directly from the airline. Unless you also provide the fare basis for each of the tickets, there's no way to compare.

Ah yes...those restrictions I mentioned. As commonly happens, it is easy to get blinded by the dollars saved.

OP, it might turn out just fine for you, as you are getting into your departing port early- good idea.

Here is where you missed the point. You absolutely might not be comparing "apple to apple." Just because you are on the same airplane does not mean it is "exactly the same." Your TICKET might be very different from the $1399.50 ticket bought directly from the airline. Unless you also provide the fare basis for each of the tickets, there's no way to compare.

This.

Thanks for the info! We started pricing flights for our cruise November 2018 from Atlanta to Heathrow. Yes we are way too far out to book flights but have been very interested in whether there are savings offered by Air2 Sea versus direct booking. Your info supports what we have read on posts from others and we would be very interested in what others have to say. All part of our research as well.

OK, but air2Sea gives you assured arrival to your cruise, and have a support line to make sure they manage the changes in the even if something happens.

I'm going to have to assume you merely read some marketing fluff, because there is NOWHERE in the terms and conditions anything that comes close to "assured arrival". And the support line won't "make sure".

But then, you didn't bother to even provide any details on your supposed "research", so how are we to even confirm your numbers with DL?

Do you live under a bridge? Seems like it.

Just keep in mind (for those who have no clue) that Air2Sea is simply the program of one cruise company. But many of the others have similar programs...with their own rules. I can speak as somebody who has been cruising about forty years for 14 different cruise lines (the 15th is now booked) on far more then 100 cruises. I do my own trip planning, book with the agency that gives me the best deal...and handle my own air. We cruise all over the world so we have to deal with both domestic and International flights. My basic rule (after lots of personal experience) is to book my own air online (through either the airline or sites like Expedia) unless there is a compelling reason to use cruise air. We have had issues on nearly every cruise air booking (the worst was with Celebrity) and in a majority of cases we can book on our own for the same or even a lower price then offered by the cruise lines. So we suggest that folks price out the air with a cruise line...and then price it out on sites like Kayak.

The area where cruise lines can excel are with more expensive International air fares...especially one-ways. And it can even get a lot better for those of us who book Business or First Class. So, for example, we recently booked a cruise where we need one-way air from the Northeast USA to Singapore. The best Business Class fares are approximately $3100 per person! But Princess has a deal with China Air (a decent airline) for about 50% of that price! So the per couple savings on just a one-way is in excess of $3000!

One problem with have with domestic is that most cruise lines will not deal with Southwest or Jet Blue. The reason is that their travel agency (who has the contract to handle the air bookings) does not get a commission from these airlines. I will admit to loving these two airlines (SW and Jet Blue) and we are willing to drive to a distant airport (up to 2 hours away) to use these airlines. Unlike Delta, AA, and United....Southwest and Jet Blue do not often change their schedule. When I book with any of the big 3 airlines....I know that the odds are they are going to change my schedule at least once (Delta holds the record with 4 changes on a single flight). I also like that both Jet Blue and SW are not hub/spoke airlines which increases the odds they will be on time. And we love the 2 free bags per person on SW.

Hank

We should have added that the promise to handle problems is not always as real as the promise. We once had a problem with Celebrity where they booked our return air for the wrong date (their fault) and had us flying home from Rome when our ship was far out to sea. It took 3 phone calls (one over an hour long) to resolve the issue (which became very complicated). And the only way we finally got it resolved was to demand that a supervisor get on the phone...because we needed somebody with the authority to make a real decision. The flunky who answered the hot line told us that being wrong by 10 days was not a problem. When we asked what would have happened when we missed our flight in Rome by 10 days, and showed up 10 days later...she just laughed and said we would have had to call their hot line! ARGH!

Another time we flew into Buenos Aries on another Celebrity arranged air deal....which included airport transfers. The local transfer company met us and then suggested we "hang out at the coffee shop in the airport" for about 1 1/2 hours until their next flight landed. They did not have enough folks to fill their mini-bus...so were going to wait for a delayed flight. We walked off and grabbed a taxi. We checked in at our hotel, and then went out for a long breakfast. 2 hours later as we returned to the hotel our mini-bus had just arrived! On the return journey on that same trip (also from Buenos Aries) that same transfer company had to transfer about 30 of us from the pier to a local hotel less then 1 mile away. They managed to lose everyone's luggage! The Hotel called Celebrity who was no help (it was a Sunday). They also managed to contact the ship...who also had no advice other then to call the local transfer company (contracted by Celebrity). But the transfer company did not answer their phone. The Hotel Concierge (the day's hero) finally managed to track down all the luggage which was sitting out at the airport. Since the Transfer company was useless....the hotel arranged to get the luggage back to our hotel (more then 12 hours late). I love Celebrity air.

Hank

I'm going to have to assume you merely read some marketing fluff, because there is NOWHERE in the terms and conditions anything that comes close to "assured arrival". And the support line won't "make sure".

My favorite story re: cruise line-arranged air was on a TATL cruise some 5 years ago. We shared a table with some folk that we learned over the meal had boarded 2 or 3 days later at the 1st of 2nd stop. Don't remember the name of the storm that hit New York that year but the airlines were giving weather waivers for days before it made landfall so people could get out.

These people tried to use the weather waiver on the cruise line-arranged tickets, but it was a strict no-go because of the nature of the tickets, and the cruise line was of no help. So the storm very predictably stopped all flights out of the NYC area and they missed the ship's departure. They were routed via Morocco to get to the ship in Spain.

Two examples that will not qualify as good cruise air fares.

Recent cruise from US to Amsterdam in May '17. From every possible originating airport to AMS the cruise air was consistently higher by $400.00 to $848.00 per passenger round trip. Identical flight were checked.

For a cruise booked today from San Juan the cruise air program were the same prices. The big three airlines were checked and flight times were compared, apples to apples, without knowing the booking codes for the cruise air fares.

The bottom line is a fair comparison is only possible if you have booking codes and those are almost impossible with any cruise line air program. Buyer beware.

OK, but air2Sea gives you assured arrival to your cruise, and have a support line to make sure they manage the changes in the even if something happens.

1. The "assured arrival" guarantees next to nothing. They don't promise to get you to the ship "on time," and they only say they will "work with" the airlines to try to get you to the ship as soon as possible, although that could be one to several days into the cruise. They don't control the airlines or the weather so they can't "guarantee" anything.

2. People seem to assume that if they book directly with an airline, the airline will just strand them if something happens. Not true. If your flight is canceled or delayed, the airline will rebook you, often automatically.

3. There are anecdotal reports of folks who were unable to get through to their cruiseline air company on travel day, particularly if it was a weekend, and or found them to be of no help whatsoever. (told them to just call the airline, for example)

I'm going to have to assume you merely read some marketing fluff, because there is NOWHERE in the terms and conditions anything that comes close to "assured arrival". And the support line won't "make sure".

 

But then, you didn't bother to even provide any details on your supposed "research", so how are we to even confirm your numbers with DL?

 

Do you live under a bridge? Seems like it.

When you pull away from the gate, and the captain comes on and says we must hold for a thunderstorm at the connecting airport, and you have 90 minutes only, panic strikes. This was on a group tour. As the minutes tick buy, you realize that your flight, might leave without you. But their is hope. Your tour company knows what is happening, and the announcement was also made that the airport has a full ground stop, so all flights are delayed.

I'm pretty sure, my tickets were the cheapest possible group. We had no control over it. But we did have some "promise" that "people" will be working for us, to solve the issue. Yes, the plane left without us.

When this happens, the airlines work to reschedule you, and the tour companies offer help. I guess, when it happens, you don't care who is helping you or what is going on, as long as you get to your destination as quickly as possible.

There were two groups "merging" on the final flight. My group, where I was registered with my frequent flyer numbers, made it on another flight, with a another layover, and rerouting, and made it to our destination about 7 hours late. Yay, I was happy. The airline rerouted my group, and called, texted, and emailed me the flight changes and all I did was confirm that I accepted.

The other group, exactly the same, came 24 hours later. Only difference was they did not have any frequent flyer registered guests.

I don't care what the booking codes are, or if it is direct booking, or through a travel agent, or any other way. All I care is when I'm stepping over hundreds of stranded guests at the airport, someone is working my problem.

If Air2Sea says they will help, than I will hope they will. I will still also register my frequent flyer number, and continue to hope that it all works out, which it does for the majority of people.

I don't live under a bridge, and like so many other people, I can relate to travel nightmares, but that does not stop me from purchasing the best price I find, even if it might be a little more of a risk. Not to mention, that I will hold onto the dream that the marketing "fluff" might actually be true. I still always arrive 3-5 days early, to enjoy the international cities and culture before my cruise, and the way home, if something happens, I just go with the flow. So, the money saved, is well worth it for me and the risk is a minor annoyance. I also did not book for the cheapest, but for the best price, that meant my criteria. I'm happy with a 11 hour trip, but did not want a 18 hour trip to save an extra $120.00 for 2 (sorry, I meant $60.00 for one).

You could book on a no frills airline on a major search engine for slightly less than I did, but pay for luggage and everything else, or book on one of the major players and pay much more. Moved the results to air2sea, and they came up with a much cheaper price, regardless of the booking codes, it was cheaper, and I love saving money over minor risk. So the booking just about matched the no frills airline.

You should also check Air2Sea as two one-way flights as opposed to a round trip. You might it less expensive.

Thank you. That was a little true, with a savings about $10.00.

I have been cruising for 24 years now and 2 times I missed a flight and both were due to medical emergencies at sea that caused the ship to get into port late. Both times I did not have cruise air but I remember to the day while returning from Hawaii in the middle of the Pacific this announcement "those with cruise air their connecting flights are being taken care of, everyone else will have to make their own arrangements."

Shak

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I don't care what the booking codes are, or if it is direct booking, or through a travel agent, or any other way. All I care is when I'm stepping over hundreds of stranded guests at the airport, someone is working my problem.

 

If Air2Sea says they will help, than I will hope they will. I will still also register my frequent flyer number, and continue to hope that it all works out, which it does for the majority of people.

 

You could book on a no frills airline on a major search engine for slightly less than I did, but pay for luggage and everything else, or book on one of the major players and pay much more. Moved the results to air2sea, and they came up with a much cheaper price, regardless of the booking codes, it was cheaper, and I love saving money over minor risk. So the booking just about matched the no frills airline.

It's only a minor risk until it bites you in the arse and then it's not so minor anymore. It sometimes boggles my mind that people are focussed on price and price alone.

I've said it before but to me it's like buying a fridge from a guy on the side of the road. Yes, it's the same fridge you'd buy in your department store, it's also new, but if it doesn't turn on when you get home what happens then?

The fact is you should care about the booking code, or at least know what you are getting from these CruiseAir type bookings. As others have said on here "Hope is not a strategy" and I love how people assume there are dozens of minions holed up in some office somewhere monitoring every CruiseAir passenger and ready to guarantee they'll make their boat. It's laughably ridiculous. The stories of what happens when CruiseAir bookings go belly up are many and recounted fairly regularly here, to think that having your frequent flyer number in the booking is going to bypass these issues is pretty naive.

But Princess has a deal with China Air (a decent airline)

Who? There is no such airline... China Airlines and Air China are actual airlines.

OK, but air2Sea gives you assured arrival to your cruise, and have a support line to make sure they manage the changes in the even if something happens. For a savings of $549 per person, in my case, I think the risk is just fine, in particular because I'm arriving 3 days early and my return trip, I don't care if something happens, as long as I make it home. :D

Don't fall for that. They cannot assure you arrival to your cruise at it's embarkation. They can't pull seats out of their a$$ and they can't IDB anyone on any airline to get you there. You have to wait for them to find seats IN THE SAME FARE CLASS for you. It may be lucky and be the same day. But, it may not be until the next day or two or three and you miss boarding and then you have to have them arrange to get to the next port which may not be in a day or two (if at sea days). And, as another said, your heavily-discounted fare from an OTA (Cruise Air/etc are all 3rd party providers) may be at the bottom of the list for re-accomodation by the airline, regardless of any assurance from the OTA. There are some anectodal cases posted here (if you search), where the "support line" was not available 24/7 when needed.

For a pure "apples to apples" comparison:

1) dates

2)the flight numbers you used for the searches, not just "DL, MIA-AMS"

3) the fare basis of the flights you compared, not just "business", but the real fare basis, like "IXB68US" or "ZXP65US" (both are Delta Business class fares RT from MIA-AMS-MIA with different pricing)

Having my own travel insurance gives me to work with when any aspect of a trip I take goes sideways. Your Cruise Air does nothing more than them, sometimes less. I never pay for luggage on DL or any of it's alliance members. I've had flights go sideways and I get a little notice from DL and a note that they've re-accomodated me. Before I accept the new flights, I am able to call DL and say "no, try another" and get a flight I like. How does that work with your OTA?

 

I don't live under a bridge, and like so many other people, I can relate to travel nightmares, but that does not stop me from purchasing the best price I find, even if it might be a little more of a risk. Not to mention, that I will hold onto the dream that the marketing "fluff" might actually be true. I still always arrive 3-5 days early,

You understand there's a risk; unfortunately many people don't. And they don't understand that it's not an apples to apples comparison. They get all high on their horse with "it's the SAME flight #" or whatever, and think they've purchased the exact same ticket with no idea how wrong they might be.

Beyond that, if you're flying in 3-5 days early anyway, you've taken a huge step to mitigate risks.

It's only a minor risk until it bites you in the arse and then it's not so minor anymore. It sometimes boggles my mind that people are focussed on price and price alone.

 

I've said it before but to me it's like buying a fridge from a guy on the side of the road. Yes, it's the same fridge you'd buy in your department store, it's also new, but if it doesn't turn on when you get home what happens then?

 

The fact is you should care about the booking code, or at least know what you are getting from these CruiseAir type bookings. As others have said on here "Hope is not a strategy" and I love how people assume there are dozens of minions holed up in some office somewhere monitoring every CruiseAir passenger and ready to guarantee they'll make their boat. It's laughably ridiculous. The stories of what happens when CruiseAir bookings go belly up are many and recounted fairly regularly here, to think that having your frequent flyer number in the booking is going to bypass these issues is pretty naive.

 

 

 

Who? There is no such airline... China Airlines and Air China are actual airlines.

Great. I get it. The person sitting directly in front of me paid $650.00 more for the seat (they booked direct). Identical Seat. The person behind me Paid $450.00 more for the seat. (they booked Expedia). The flight is cancelled. My cruise is in 3 days. I go to ticket counter and while in line, the airlines, hopefully, which it did in the past, contact me on the phone to rebook and/or I get to the counter and they already have a rebooking listed, or they will work the problem. I would have already called the travel agent, air2Sea. The way I see it, I have 3 different groups working the problem.

I'm not rich, and I have a budget. I know, I can pay full price, and I know the person with the most amount of money invested in the flight will get a faster service. However, I am still going to pay, for two people, $1100.00 less than the two people directly in front of me. I also know that plane, flies that same route daily and in a year, it is was only canceled once for mechanical issues, and a few time, late more than 2 hours. So the odds are in my favor, and I will take my $1100.00 in savings, and use it for pure enjoyment on my 2 week (16 day) vacation. If by chance, I am that .02% where the flight is canceled, I will loose a day of touring, but still have an additional 15 days to enjoy because I will just go with the flow.

So the choice presented are:

1. Pay the fullest price, and hope you get special treatment

2. Pay the rock bottom price and hope you get special treatment.

Both number 1 and 2 have a very high likelihood of making it, unless you have the very last minute flight and want to gamble.

I also know that plane, flies that same route daily and in a year,

 

So the choice presented are:

1. Pay the fullest price, and hope you get special treatment

2. Pay the rock bottom price and hope you get special treatment.

 

Both number 1 and 2 have a very high likelihood of making it, unless you have the very last minute flight and want to gamble.

You're absolutely right in that the greatest risk here is if you are flying last minute, which many people do for a cruise. If you have a day or two cushion between your flight and your cruise, then the vast majority of the time you can still get rebooked and make your cruise. What someone reading this might miss though, is that while the airline might fly that same route daily, it doesn't necessarily mean that you will get put on the flight the next day (or later that day if they fly it multiple times a day). If the entire plane has to be reaccommodated, they aren't going to be able to rebook everyone on the next flight unless that flight currently has 0 reservations, which of course is highly unlikely. This is when rebooking priority can become a bigger factor that one might realize. Some might get a flight later that day, some might get the flight the next day, or the day after that. Some might get rebooked later that day or the next day but on a different routing which your ticket may or may not allow. If you truly understand and accept the full potential of the risks, then yes- good for you for saving money. If you (anyone) blindly assumes they will 100% be rebooked on the very next flight, I have some ocean front property in Kansas they might be interested in.

Great. I get it. The person sitting directly in front of me paid $650.00 more for the seat (they booked direct). Identical Seat. The person behind me Paid $450.00 more for the seat. (they booked Expedia). The flight is cancelled. My cruise is in 3 days. I go to ticket counter and while in line, the airlines, hopefully, which it did in the past, contact me on the phone to rebook and/or I get to the counter and they already have a rebooking listed, or they will work the problem. I would have already called the travel agent, air2Sea. The way I see it, I have 3 different groups working the problem.

 

I'm not rich, and I have a budget. I know, I can pay full price, and I know the person with the most amount of money invested in the flight will get a faster service. However, I am still going to pay, for two people, $1100.00 less than the two people directly in front of me. I also know that plane, flies that same route daily and in a year, it is was only canceled once for mechanical issues, and a few time, late more than 2 hours. So the odds are in my favor, and I will take my $1100.00 in savings, and use it for pure enjoyment on my 2 week (16 day) vacation. If by chance, I am that .02% where the flight is canceled, I will loose a day of touring, but still have an additional 15 days to enjoy because I will just go with the flow.

 

So the choice presented are:

1. Pay the fullest price, and hope you get special treatment

2. Pay the rock bottom price and hope you get special treatment.

 

Both number 1 and 2 have a very high likelihood of making it, unless you have the very last minute flight and want to gamble.

Your rational makes sense to me!

Shak