Airfare With Cruiseline or Book Airfare Separately

[Howasaur]

I was wondering how many people book there Airfare with the Cruise line they are going with.or do you book it separately? . I realize if you book it with the Cruiseline they will back you if there is a airport weather delay but if you book your flight a day or two ahead you should be safe.

[CruiserBruce]

Don't book airfares with cruise lines. Fares used to always be better, but no longer. Routing can be horrendous, tight connections. I would say that booking thru cruise line is best less than 20% of the time.

[cruisinjudy]

Our flight, Portland to Venice and Ft Lauderdale to Portland came out much cheaper through the cruise line. The flights are very similar to what I was looking at anyway. You just need to compare.

[Krazy Kruizers]

for flights to ports here in the us -- you are better to book your own

going to europe -- book with the cruise line if you can't find a good deal on your own -- especially where you embark in one port but disembark in a different port

[Opinions]

I was wondering how many people book there Airfare with the Cruise line they are going with.or do you book it separately? . I realize if you book it with the Cruiseline they will back you if there is a airport weather delay but if you book your flight a day or two ahead you should be safe.

 

I would suggest you read the HAL cruise contract in regards to how far the cruiselines will back you...Of course the decision to use cruise air is a personal one...For a Med cruise we booked the air on our own...We got Phila. to Venice and Barcelona to Phila...Both non-stop flights...I would suggest you check out both the cruisline and on your own and decide which you are more comfortable with.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Only once did we book air with cruiseline and it did not work for us. Cruiselines do not use Southwest and for this particular destination, Southwest had a direct flight. The cruiseline booked us with a connection. I like to be in control of when and how we are flying so now always book our own air.

 

Barbara

[Howasaur]

Thanks CruiserBruce and all others Booking from Calgary, Canada to Fort Lauderdale.was way cheaper booking the fights myself and not going through the cruise line. That being said overseas and such I think I may go with the cruise line,

[cruzn single]

When we decided on our upcoming cruise from Kobe to Vancouver I looked at airfare and routings before we booked with HAL. Everything I found would have taken us through China (visa required), and when I booked with HAL our airfare was less than half the price of what I had found on my own. Now, we are booked from Phoenix thru San Francisco and straight to Osaka, and have transfers included. I couldn't ask for more!

 

I usually book our airfare myself (and have done a pretty good job, especially since I have previous travel agent experience), but on this cruise, the cruise line airfare was a no-brainer!

 

I agree that usually on domestic flights, you can do better on your own, but when it gets into involved international airfare, let someone else do it for you!

[janmcn]

We've done it both ways. For one-way trips, we have found that the HAL flights are better/cheaper...BUT we are eligible for "free deviation" so we can tell them what flights we want and when and so far they've been able to accommodate us without any extra charge.

 

Within the USA to book RT fares, we do it ourselves.

[barante]

Never has a worse recommendation been given than not to consider cruise line air.

I know what I am talking about. I am one of your compulsive air and cruise researchers. Two years ago we took a cruise on the Carnival Splendor from Fort Lauderdale to Buenos Aires. Much though I researched, I simply could not match the airfare Carnival offered, not even close. Also, the connections worked well for us on Continental from Houston to Baltimore. I had never before flown Continental but was quite impressed.

This was an exception. Otherwise I always do my own research and find better deals. But particularly in these turbulent times -- when airline prices are rollercoasting -- a cruise line may offer the best deal.

Next October, we'll do an Eastern Mediterranean b/b along with a trans-Atlantic crossing from Venice on HAL's Nieuw Amsterdam. To protect myself, I already bought my air tickets. From Baltimore to Venice, we'll fly Air Berlin via Berlin.

Now this is getting interesting. All things being equal, I probably would have gone with HAL air. The price was very good. But there was no way of finding out what routing HAL would use, i.e. what time it would get to Venice. Might be late afternoon. By going with Air Berlin, we'll be in Venice in the morning. We can board about midday and then overnight on the ship before the departure.

i had never heard of Air Berlin. Turns out it is Germany's No. 2 carrier, which is rapidly expanding .

[mvfishing]

Our daughter is meeting us in Dover, on the second leg of a back to back, which ends in Barcelona. I booked her air with HAL along with transfers. For a $75.00 fee we were able to book the flights that were best for her. Even with the extra fee, we saved over $300.00 over the best price we could find. In this case it was well worth using the cruise line air. :D:D

[barante]

After writing the previous post, it occurred to me to give one more argument for considering cruise air: Airfare research has gotten to be far trickier because of a fight over who controls flight listings. As a result certain airlines -- besides Southwest, which has always handled its sales directly -- are not listed on a number of major travel search sites -- the sites that most people use! Delta and American are among carriers that are boycotting certain search engines.

Particularly if you are not skilled at comparing prices, you should always check out cruise line air fares to overseas destinations.

When I did my Venice searches, I was shocked at the astronomical prices that various "budget" search engines came up with for the BWI-VCE itinerary. Routing also stank.

I have done some searches since. Boy, am I glad I bought the BWI-VCE ticket when I did. I'm already several hundred dollars ahead.

It seems to me that South America is among destinations where cruise air prices are very good. We will go to Rio next month to start a 28-day cruise. The bst price probably would have been offered the HAL, except that USAir offered a BWI-Charlotte-Rio connection for less than $500 pp.! That, of course, was an exceptional strike of luck.

[liketraveling]

I did a transatlantic on Disney about 5 years ago.

 

It was cheaper to go through Disney.

 

from sfo to Barcelona and Than from FLL to SFO.

 

Europe has different Hubs for different Airlines

 

Aer Lingus uses Dublin, Ireland

Brithish Airways uses London

Lufthansa Frankfurt, Germany

Air France - Paris

 

Chances are these are some of the Cities you would be routed through.

 

You can somestimes get a more direct flight out of JFK.

 

I have been considering a Transatlantic and thought of Booking a ticket from the West Coast on Virgin Americica to JFK. Spend One or two nights in New York and than Fly to Europe. (I have never been to Times Square)

 

From Fort Lauderdale back to the West coast on Southwest or Virgin America.

 

It is really tricky on where you decide to fly from,

[kazu]

We normally do our own air fare. It has worked out very well for us in the past. Part of it is that we like to know what our connections are and when are planes are going and have some control. Cruise air fare had been reasonable, but we usually manage to either do better or have been able to use points. In Canada, if you are going during the 'season', Air Transat a charter air line offers very reasonable prices to get to Europe even in 'club class'. It is all about research and patience.

 

Otherwise, if one doesn't have the time or energy to research, they are probably better off booking the ship's air.

[Arwen]

We have done both. We have booked our own and gone through the cruise line. However, two years ago we booked through HAL for our flight to New Zealand. It was a close shave getting to the cruise ship on time! Also, our route meant we had two connecting flights.....awful! Found out later that HAL had overbooked and some people almost (or did) arrive late.

 

I am wiser now. I am booked through HAL for our upcoming Med cruise in October. We are three star Mariners and we requested a "deviation" as a Mariner perk.

 

Deviation means that we are supposed to be booked for a better and more direct flight.

You can also request from HAL or your TA for a deviation, but you do pay extra if not at least 3 stars.:)

[airheadfan]

Highly recommend making your own micromanagements. Our one experience using HAL for flights from Victoria to Fort Lauderdale was horrible. Flights re-booked, hotel cancelled, day of departure changed, arrival and departure airport changed - all without consultation or permission from us or the TA. Indifferent, arrogant or incompetent - or a combination of the three. Lesson learned.

[rafinmd]

After writing the previous post, it occurred to me to give one more argument for considering cruise air: Airfare research has gotten to be far trickier because of a fight over who controls flight listings. As a result certain airlines -- besides Southwest, which has always handled its sales directly -- are not listed on a number of major travel search sites -- the sites that most people use! Delta and American are among carriers that are boycotting certain search engines.

Particularly if you are not skilled at comparing prices, you should always check out cruise line air fares to overseas destinations.

When I did my Venice searches, I was shocked at the astronomical prices that various "budget" search engines came up with for the BWI-VCE itinerary. Routing also stank.

I have done some searches since. Boy, am I glad I bought the BWI-VCE ticket when I did. I'm already several hundred dollars ahead.

It seems to me that South America is among destinations where cruise air prices are very good. We will go to Rio next month to start a 28-day cruise. The bst price probably would have been offered the HAL, except that USAir offered a BWI-Charlotte-Rio connection for less than $500 pp.! That, of course, was an exceptional strike of luck.

 

You are going to Venice using Air Berlin. Who is thir partner at BWI?

 

Thanks

Roy

[prescottbob]

...ago (1999) for the first time and decided, henceforth, cruise line AL packages we're not for me.

 

Needless to say, it all depends on how much research you want to do and the timing involved.

 

In regard to your query, I'd compare the HAL 'flight package' presented to you (or any other cruise line) versus the various internet sites for a similar flight itinerary.

 

Funny you should bring the topic up. We're scheduled for a 5 day land tour and a 14 day Nov. Seabourn TA cruise.

 

Actually, I was purchasing flight tickets today since the cruise line came in around $1250 / PP for the 'lockjaw' flights (PHX-MAD, FLL-PHX). Pricing came in @ $762 / PP using cheapoair. We'll see how it works out and, BTW, I'm not I'm not an agent or agent for the aforementioned site.

 

I also like arranging my own flights when it comes to depature times, lay-over times and seating assignments. JMHO.

 

Have a wonderful cruise!

 

Bon Voyage & Good Health!

Bob:)

[HamburgAvonLady]

I think it depends on the itinerary --- usually booking your own air (domestically) is much more reasonable, and you have control on which airline you fly and the departure and arrival times. However, if you are talking "internationally" ---best to compare-- our one-way return flight through RCCL from Santiago,Chile was at least $ 1000 cheaper than if we had done it on our own --- but this is not always the case. Also, if you are flying to your departure point a few days early --- you should be fine as far as delays, etc. JMO

[barante]

Rafin -- Air Berlin sells a code-shared Washington Reagan National to New York to Berlin to Venice connection. We ended up buying anAmerican Airlines feeder from BWI to JFK, where it goes to the same terminal as Air Berlin, and the NYC-VCE connection separately. AA was, by far, the cheapest and most convenient way to go.

It seems to me that the code-shared Washington feeder also is AA.

BTW, Air Berlin does not appear on many flight search engines. We got it from cheapo.

[Chelly]

I've found cruise air generally less expensive for Transatlantic cruises.

 

For other cruises, generally cheaper to book your own.

 

C.

[Typhoon1]

I am of the opinion that you can find a better fare by booking on your own. Domestic departures have been my experience.

[mabert]

I agree, check it out.

 

Something to consider.

 

HAL will adjust your cabin price until just before departure if it drops.

 

However, if you book with HAL and receive an 'airfare special' with your cabin, they will also change the price of your airfare with the price for the cabin.

 

Silly me, on my last cruise, I took advantage of the special and saved $50. When the fare dropped $200/person (for me as a solo traveler a savings of $400), I could not take advantage of it without paying much more for the airfare.