RCI Cruise Air - flight department changes

[peteukmcr]

My TA has just advised that they are no longer allowed to contact the RCI UK flight department by phone to discuss flight arrangements.

 

All enquiries / requests need to be submitted via email and therefore, delays are introduced to the process.

 

Is anyone else aware of this change?

[Budget Queen]

Once you have your flights you would contact the airline direct, not RCI?? The cruiseline is a booking agent only. Are you talking about deviation flights?? That should have been arranged when you booked?? If going round trip to one port in the US, many times it is well worth it to compare and book direct.

[Globaliser]

Things work a little differently here in the UK, and I believe that the OP may be talking about discussing the booking of specific airlines/flights with the cruise line's UK office. This can sometimes be done even on standard UK packages, and there are some cruise lines that sell in the UK that do not offer a cruise-only option.

[peteukmcr]

Things work a little differently here in the UK, and I believe that the OP may be talking about discussing the booking of specific airlines/flights with the cruise line's UK office. This can sometimes be done even on standard UK packages, and there are some cruise lines that sell in the UK that do not offer a cruise-only option.

 

That's correct I am discussing using the 'Custom Air' option which we have used before and asking for a 'deviation' e.g. not returning on the day the cruise ends, but a few days later. We did this earlier this year on our FOS cruise.

 

We cannot contact the airline directly even when the airline tickets are issued as they have been booked by RCI. The only thing you can do is online check in, any other queries have to be handled by your TA via RCI.

 

The deviation could not be booked at the time of booking the cruise as the flights for October 2010 have only just been released by the airline (scheduled airlines only release schedules 11 months in advance). We fly out 8th Oct 2010 and want to return on 22nd. At the time of booking the cruise on the 8th Oct this year, the flights were not available, but they are now. This is exactly the same as we did for our FOS cruise.

 

The price quoted by RCI for the return flights is only £100 more than going direct to the airline and RCI do provide a 1 night hotel pre-cruise, transfers from airport to hotel and then to port in that price. So not a lot in it as far as I see.

 

My only query was really has anyone else been advised that if booking via a TA, RCI UK will now only accept queries via email.