Flight advice from UK

[shelmo]

We are from the UK and would love to book a holiday on the Allure in July 2012. but flight prices from Manchester are very expensive so are putting us off.

 

There must be a lot of people on here who fly from the UK so without breaking the rules about advertising could you advise me the best way to go about it. Royal Caribbean are not offering flights with the cruise I am looking at.

[uksimonusa]

We are from the UK and would love to book a holiday on the Allure in July 2012. but flight prices from Manchester are very expensive so are putting us off.

 

There must be a lot of people on here who fly from the UK so without breaking the rules about advertising could you advise me the best way to go about it. Royal Caribbean are not offering flights with the cruise I am looking at.

 

RCI will probably offer flights closer to the time, you are nearly 2 years out. How are you pricing flights? airlines dont normally release flights and prices until about 330 days out? Man to Orlando this summer was around £500 with Virgin

[NorbertsNiece]

Hi,

 

There are no shortcuts unfortunately. Use the usual sites that offer multiple choices with various airlines and then either use them to book or try and create your own itinerary from their suggested ones. From experience the prices only go up so the earlier you book generally the cheaper the price. I hate using the word cheap..... nothing about flying out to the US is cheap any more.

 

I have no idea who flies out of Manchester but you may have to consider coming to London first or flying into a hub within the US then continuing on.... their flight structures may be different to ours. It certainly works out 'cheaper' if you can change planes. I've found the hit lighter that way. Just takes that much longer......

 

I collect Air Miles and use them whenver possible to offset the damage. They need to be applied early on as the availability of those seats can be sporadic.

 

You could pose your question on Cruise Air board.

[Addict]

We are from the UK and would love to book a holiday on the Allure in July 2012. but flight prices from Manchester are very expensive so are putting us off.

 

There must be a lot of people on here who fly from the UK so without breaking the rules about advertising could you advise me the best way to go about it. Royal Caribbean are not offering flights with the cruise I am looking at.

 

When we booked our October 2011 Liberty cruise, flights were not available. They have just become available in the last few days so we have added the flights today. You are too far out to get prices at this time - judging from our Liberty experience, flights for your cruise probably won't be offered by RCI until around April/May 2011.

 

You need to check the RCI site around that time, and do a dummy booking to see if you can include flights. When they are available, just ring RCI or your travel agent and get them added to your booking. Or, of course, you can book your flights on your own. Although, we have found flights to be quite a good deal through RCI - bear in mind that your transfers and a hotel for the first night are included.

[baljaffray]

We are on FOS this October from Port Canaveral. We originally booked the whole package with RCCL, but when they told us we had 3 FLIGHTS to get from Glasgow to Orlando, I said forget it, we are a family of 4,and I am not spending 16 hours getting there.We took it to a cruise only and bought our own flights, at no extra expense. I booked 13 months in advance.

[shelmo]

Thanks for your replies I have been looking at prices for July 2011 just to get an idea. Virgin want £875 for a direct flight which is a lot for a family of 5. Will look at changing in the US but at which is best.

 

I dont want to change in London as the return flight is so frustrating when you are virtually home after a long flight with children, then have to hang around and get on another plane when you are exhausted. Some how it never seems as bad to do this on your outward journey most probably because the holiday is just starting.

[AnDeNo.UK]

Thanks for your replies I have been looking at prices for July 2011 just to get an idea. Virgin want £875 for a direct flight which is a lot for a family of 5. Will look at changing in the US but at which is best.

 

I dont want to change in London as the return flight is so frustrating when you are virtually home after a long flight with children, then have to hang around and get on another plane when you are exhausted. Some how it never seems as bad to do this on your outward journey most probably because the holiday is just starting.

Have you any plans for a pre cruise stay? Virgin fly direct to Orlando. ;) Keep checking the VA site we have had some good bargains with them, (up to this year) albeit, maybe no more to be had. :( Take a look at Aer Lingus. Done it once, no problems. :D

[Addict]

Have you any plans for a pre cruise stay? Virgin fly direct to Orlando. ;) Keep checking the VA site we have had some good bargains with them, (up to this year) albeit, maybe no more to be had. :( Take a look at Aer Lingus. Done it once, no problems. :D

 

I agree, Virgin prices ain't what they used to be. We were once dedicated Virgin flyers - but no more - their prices recently are outrageous.

[niko40]

Im suprised our next cruise cost us £1125 each with local flights pre and post cruise overnight in newyork and 12 night caribbean cruise explores in a balcony plus all transfers rci amd others were nowhere near:)

 

Nick

[lostinvegas]

Were flying out to Oasis in 2 days time. We have booked the flights ourselves just 3 weeks ago. The best time to book flights is about a month before you travel. We searched a popular travel site which searches lots of flight companies and got a very good deal to fly direct return to Miami. the flights we have booked are 1/2 what our TA wanted for flights booked with the cruise.

 

My advice is book your flights between 8 and 4 weeks before you go. If your flying to the US you will always get a flight even if its not direct. Don't panic just do your research and book at a price your happy with. I found flights with stops for as little as £300 each return in September.

[gyork0206]

Hi,

 

When I booked my cruise for next year I tried through RCCL and they said there were no flights at the time, but then I went through TA and they gave me a price with flights included, so my advice would be use a TA, even if the flights are not available at the moment, they will inform you when they come on line.

[okimot]

If the Allure sails from Fort Lauderdale, suggest you book with Continental Airlines. They fly to Newark and then there are connecting flights to Fort Lauderdale. We stay one night pre-cruise at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Airport hotel. If you want to take an extra case, you will be charged $45 for the privilige. This covers the flights from Manchester via Newark to Fort Lauderdale.

You have to pay the full cost of the flights when you book them. You can also pre-book your seats this way.

Please let me know if you want any more information

[AnDeNo.UK]

You need to ask them for the 10% discount that they can give on RCI cruises. If you don't ask, they won't offer it to you. We always get 10%.:D

 

What is the 10% discount?

 

Is that on top of the £200 pp early booking & the £110 pp C&A discount we recieved when we booked plus, $100 pp OBC. As mentioned, I booked thro' RCI here in the UK, the price was the same even if we had booked thro' the US. I always compare the UK to the US prices before we eventually book a cruise, so far, only Celebrity worked out cheaper booking here in the UK, the rest I've booked thro' the US. ;)

[Desert Cruizers]

Hi Addict, are you going Cruise air or choice Air. We will be seeing you on the 2011 LOS and plan to do choice Air since we will be arriving 3 days Pre Cruise. Our TA told me they won't have anything on Choice air until late Nov.

[Addict]

What is the 10% discount?

 

Is that on top of the £200 pp early booking & the £110 pp C&A discount we recieved when we booked plus, $100 pp OBC. As mentioned, I booked thro' RCI here in the UK, the price was the same even if we had booked thro' the US. I always compare the UK to the US prices before we eventually book a cruise, so far, only Celebrity worked out cheaper booking here in the UK, the rest I've booked thro' the US. ;)

 

That particular travel agent can give you 10% off the base (commissionable) part of the cruise cost - they won't offer it to you - you have to know! We have always got it on top of any early booking discount, balcony discount, diamond etc etc - anything that RCI give you. They don't like doing it obviously, as it means less commission for them. I always ask two things: what % will they give me, and will they ring RCI and get the price drops for me if I alert them. Most times they don't know about price drops - but after checking with RCI they agree. If they quote the wrong % or won't do the price drops for me - I don't use them. Never had a problem with TC so far! And now I only use one girl in one branch and have got to know her well so don't need to ask anymore - she knows what I want! LOL :D Most people don't know that RCI, Celebrity and NCL will honour price drops. If you have already booked direct with RCI - a travel agent can take the booking over for you - as long as you're not in the final payment period. Hope that helps. Good luck.

 

Hi Addict, are you going Cruise air or choice Air. We will be seeing you on the 2011 LOS and plan to do choice Air since we will be arriving 3 days Pre Cruise. Our TA told me they won't have anything on Choice air until late Nov.

 

Hi Gay

 

We didn't book the air when we booked the cruise as it wasn't available. We just kept an eye online, and kept doing dummy bookings until it was available (at a good price) then called the TA and asked her to add it. Not sure about cruise air / choice air - don't understand it and never used it. Just see the price and add it if it's good - otherwise we book our own. I like booking with RCI if we can as it's so convenient with transfers etc (just make sure they don't lose your luggage LOL).

 

Sue